Why did Supreme Court freeze Mumbai civic commissioner’s salary, impose ₹5 lakh fine on BMC?

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for failing to comply with its directions on removal of encroachments from land reserved for a BEST bus stand in Mumbai. Calling it a “wilful breach and disobedience of the time-bound directions”, the apex court issued a contempt notice against the civic body’s commissioner and also imposed a penalty of ₹5 lakh on the municipal body, according to a report by LiveLaw.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana issued a notice asking the commissioner to explain why action should not be taken against him.

The bench also dismissed the commissioner’s request seeking more time and directed the BMC and the Maharashtra government not to release the commissioner’s monthly salary or the salaries of his personal staff until its orders are followed.

“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 was quoted as saying by LiveLaw.

The top court criticised the civic body’s conduct for failing to comply with its directives. The court had issued directions on November 13, 2025, and again on July 28, 2026.

Supreme Court warns BMC officials of jail over encroachment removal

Strongly criticising the conduct of civic body officials, CJI Kant suggested that the municipal body might be colluding with the encroachers and warned that officials could be sent to jail if the orders 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”, the CJI remarked after dictating the order.

Senior Advocate RP Bhatt, appearing for the BMC, repeatedly urged the Supreme Court to record his assurance that the civic body would comply with its directions within 30 days. In response, the CJI sarcastically remarked that the court would issue an appreciation certificate to the BMC if it followed the orders.

“We will be very thankful if they comply with our order. We will issue them an appreciation certificate! Let them first do it. There is a complete, deliberate, mischievous breach of the direction issued by this court. And it is apparently in collusion and connivance with the encroachers whom these municipal authorities are protecting. You want us to write it today or we will write it after one week when we multiply the cost from Rs. 5 lakh to 20 lakh…We are not recording anything. We have already issued the direction. The time-bound directions were there. That period has already gone”, the CJI said.

What did the Supreme Court direct the BMC?

On July 28, 2026, the Supreme Court directed the BMC to complete the work and clear the encroachments within three months. The court also clarified that pending civil court proceedings challenging notices issued to the encroachers under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966, would not prevent their removal, as the civil court had not granted an interim stay.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected the civic body’s application seeking an extension of time to remove the encroachments.

“We have given enough time. Unless you want us today itself to pass a more punitive order against them. We are very clear. We are dismissing your application. We will not grant a single day. Let them sit in the midnight and pass the order. They must learn how to work”, the CJI said.