Mumbai: In a move aimed at preventing a repeat of an embarrassing voting defeat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has introduced a compulsory biometric attendance system at its party office in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The decision comes after the party was initially outvoted by the opposition in the BMC House last month over a proposal to hand over a private plot in Wadala for a housing redevelopment project. The defeat was attributed to the absence of a majority of BJP corporators during the vote.
Biometric System Implementation
All BJP corporators are now required to log their attendance using a biometric machine installed outside the party office when they arrive for meetings at the civic body. Party corporator Makarand Narwekar has also written to Mayor Ritu Tawde, urging the implementation of a similar system for all corporators in the BMC.
Party's Explanation
Ganesh Khankar, BJP’s group leader in the BMC, denied any direct link between the biometric system and the voting incident. He stated that the system was introduced on April 28, a day before the proposal was first tabled in the House, with the aim of “instilling discipline among corporators.” The proposal was eventually passed on May 8 when the ruling alliance could muster sufficient numbers.
“The corporators are expected to mark their presence at the office and can then attend committee meetings or carry out other work across the BMC headquarters. At the end of each day, we receive a record of all corporators who visited the headquarters,” Khankar explained.
Proposal for Wider Implementation
Khankar also expressed interest in adopting a system similar to that used at the state secretariat (Mantralaya), where details of visitors, the officials they meet, and the purpose of their visit are formally recorded. In his letter to the mayor, Narwekar highlighted that a biometric attendance system for all corporators would significantly enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in proceedings.
“Our initiative has ensured accurate attendance tracking and reinforced discipline among corporators. Drawing inspiration from this, it would be prudent to extend a similar system to the general body meetings,” Narwekar wrote. He added that the measure would encourage punctuality and active participation among corporators, while also strengthening public trust through transparent governance. “In an era where citizens expect higher standards of accountability from elected representatives, this step would demonstrate our commitment to responsible administration.”
Support from Party Members
Education committee chairperson Rajeshree Shirwadkar, also from the BJP, welcomed the system. “It is a good initiative. All BJP corporators are ensuring that their attendance is marked through the biometric system,” she said.
