SC Stops BMC Commissioner’s Salary Over Failure To Remove Encroachments, Imposes Rs 5 Lakh Cost

Last Updated:November 03, 2026, 11:31 PM IST

The bench rejected the BMC’s application seeking additional time to pass an eviction order against the occupants and imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on the civic body.

For Ashwini Bhide, the evolution of India’s infrastructure is about ensuring every citizen feels actively cared for by the city they inhabit.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday withheld the salary of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ashwini Satish Bhide and issued a contempt notice to her over failure to remove encroachments from land earmarked for a BEST bus stand in Borivali, Mumbai.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana held that the commissioner was prima facie guilty of contempt and wilful disobedience of the time-bound directions issued by the court.

The bench rejected the BMC’s application seeking additional time to pass an eviction order against the occupants and imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on the civic body.

“We are prima facie satisfied that the Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai is guilty of committing contempt and is guilty of wilful breach and disobedience of the time-bound directions that we have issued on two occasions in orders dated 13th November 2025 and 28th July 2026. Let him show cause as to why appropriate action will not be taken against him. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation and the State Government is restrained from releasing any monthly salary to the Commissioner or his personal staff. The application is dismissed with cost of Rs 5 lakhs,” the court ordered, as reported by Live Law.

The Supreme Court also questioned the conduct of BMC officials, suggesting that the civic body could be colluding with the encroachers. It warned that the officials concerned could face imprisonment if its directions were not followed.

“They will understand the language of this order because they don’t understand decent language. We will send him to jail and then he will understand the language of the Supreme Court order,” Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked after dictating the order.

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Why did the Supreme Court withhold the BMC Commissioner’s salary?

The Supreme Court withheld the salary of BMC Commissioner Ashwini Satish Bhide and issued a contempt notice because the civic body failed to remove encroachments from land earmarked for a BEST bus stand in Borivali, Mumbai, violating time-bound court directions.

What penalty and costs were imposed on the BMC by the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court rejected the BMC’s application for additional time to pass an eviction order, imposed a cost of Rs 5 lakh on the civic body, and restrained the municipal corporation and state government from releasing any monthly salary to the Commissioner or his personal staff.

What did the Supreme Court suggest regarding BMC officials and encroachers?

During the hearing, Chief Justice Surya Kant questioned the conduct of BMC officials, suggesting they might be colluding with the encroachers, and warned that officials could face imprisonment if court directions continued to be ignored.

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Saurabh VermaDeputy News Editor

Saurabh Verma is a Deputy News Editor at News18.com, specialising in Indian politics and breaking global news. With years of experience tracking election strategies, he decodes domestic issues for mil…Read More

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