Bombay High Court Upholds BMC's Stand Against Habitual Complainants

The Bombay High Court has supported the BMC's circular declaring four individuals 'persona non-grata' for filing repeated complaints, ruling that it does not infringe on fundamental rights. It reinforced that no one has the right to harass public officers through persistent complaints on the same issue.

In a significant ruling, the Bombay High Court has stood by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in its decision to declare four individuals as 'persona non-grata' for persistently filing similar complaints. The court emphasized that no citizen holds a fundamental right to harass public officials with redundant grievances.

A division bench, comprising Justices A S Gadkari and Kamal Khata, observed that while public servants must be accountable, the continuous barrage of identical complaints hampers their ability to perform their duties efficiently. The BMC's circular, issued in December 2021, sought to protect civic staff from such unwarranted pressure.

The court's decision came after two of the individuals, Sagar Daunde and Nanasaheb Patil, challenged the circular, citing it as illegal and infringing on their rights. However, the bench found that the circular was carefully considered and did not violate fundamental rights, as it only addressed repetitive issues already resolved.

(With inputs from agencies.)