NMMC Commissioner Kailas Shinde has warned that any employee neglecting duty during the SIR exercise will face strict legal action. (File Photo)
The accused was booked under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, for breach of official duty, which penalises election officials and personnel for failing to properly perform duties related to the electoral rolls without reasonable cause. Ward Officer Bharat Dhande said, “Typist-clerk Jeevan Sonawane was issued an order by ERO Priti Patil on July 15 to take charge as a BLO for Part No. 343 for the verification of the electoral roll in the 150-Airoli Assembly constituency. He was assigned the responsibility of carrying out door-to-door enumeration in the Bonkode area to physically verify residents’ details and distribute enumeration forms to citizens to register or update their details in the 2026 electoral roll. However, he remained absent from July 16 to 23 and failed to perform the official duty assigned to him. I even tried to convince him to perform his duties as a BLO, as the assignment was only till August 8, and told him to give priority to the SIR work. Dhande added, “After the FIR was registered against BLO Sonawane, he came to my office and said that he would perform his BLO duties from July 25.
Despite repeatedly telling him to fulfil his official duty under the SIR exercise, he ignored the orders of the ERO. If needed, he would also be provided with an assistant. However, he remained reluctant and continued to stay absent, which adversely affected the SIR exercise in the area assigned to him. After he completes his official duty, I will personally accompany him to the senior inspector at the Koparkhairane police station and submit a report. However, the further course of legal action regarding the FIR against him will be decided by the State Election Commission. “