BMC sends chief legal officer Komal Punjabi on forced leave after Supreme Court rebuke

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent the chief law officer of its legal department, Adv. Komal Rajesh Punjabi, on forced leave with immediate effect. The step follows strong remarks by the Supreme Court against the corporation and Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide over encroachments and negligence in court cases.

The Supreme Court had sharply rebuked the BMC and Commissioner Bhide in these matters, after which the civic administration moved swiftly. It is said that the legal department had failed to present the corporation's case properly in several important court cases, including an encroachment case in Borivali and the Miya Khan matter.

The additional charge of whatever work Punjabi held has now been given to Joint Law Officer Sukhshree Milind Modale. The corporation's general administration department issued the official order on November 6, 2026. According to the order, until further orders Modale will hold the additional charge of chief law officer along with her original post.

After the Supreme Court's rebuke, several things moved quickly in the civic body. An emergency meeting was held of Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi and the corporation's law committee, at which strong displeasure over the working of the legal department was expressed. Officials of the legal department responsible for the Borivali encroachment case were also served show-cause notices. The administration then sent chief law officer Punjabi on forced leave.

Questions had been raised about Punjabi's work earlier too. The ruling Shiv Sena had registered serious objections to her way of working. Shiv Sena corporator Samruddhi Kate, raising the objection in the corporation's general body meeting, alleged: "Komal Punjabi does not present the corporation's case properly in court and gives incomplete information about cases. She is also wrongly promoting employees of her choice and doing injustice to other eligible officers."

The administration had to take this strict action because of these complaints from the ruling party, the law committee's displeasure and the Supreme Court's remarks. The removal of the chief law officer after the Supreme Court's remarks has caused a major stir in the administrative and political circles of the Mumbai civic body.