Following mid-day's expose of how the civic body had hired several more people than required for the clerical posts, municipal secretary comes under scanner
Civic administration has been instructed to issue a show-cause notice to Narayan Pathade
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Less than a week after mid-day blew the whistle on a possible clerical recruitment scam in the BMC, the civic administration yesterday initiated action in the matter. Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta instructed the civic administration to issue a show-cause notice to Municipal Secretary Narayan Pathade. The municipal secretariat, along with the Standing Committee, undertakes clerical recruitments.
"The BMC chief has issued a show-cause notice to the municipal secretary in connection with clerical recruitments. The notice will be served in a day or two to him," said a senior BMC official.
Pathade is set to retire at the end of May. His post-retirement perks will be put on hold pending inquiry, said the official.
The BMC took cognisance of mid-day reports yesterday
BMC chief Ajoy Mehta was not available for comment despite repeated attempts. Pathade claimed to be in the dark over the show-cause notice. "I reiterate that all recruitments were done as per procedure. The Standing Committee's approvals were taken for the same. The minutes of the meetings were recorded and approved, too. Someone is trying to malign my image," he said.
The alleged scam refers to the selection of 47 candidates for 12 clerical posts in 2013. Of these 47, 35 are on the payroll. The scam was unearthed by an alert citizen who was "curious" about the BMC's job selection process.
Mid-day's report yesterday
mid-day raised suspicion of a recruitment scam on May 4. The whistleblower later requested the civic administration to withhold Pathade's pay and post-retirement perks.
BJP group leader in the BMC Manoj Kotak demanded action against the Standing Committee as well. He also asked that the new municipal secretary's appointment be based on seniority and not as per the list prepared by the municipal secretariat.
47 No. of candidates selected for 12 clerical posts in 2013
35 No. of candidates absorbed into service
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