Nagpur: A bizarre administrative tangle at the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has come under judicial scrutiny after son of a sanitary worker, to be appointed on compassionate grounds, was found to have been “upgraded” to a Class III post even before being formally appointed.The case centres on Mangesh Badhel, a resident of Borkar Nagar on Ghat Road, who applied for a job on compassionate grounds after his mother, a sanitation worker with the civic body, opted for voluntary retirement. The NMC initially processed his appointment as a sanitation worker. However, Badhel — a BE and an MBA holder — declined the offer and instead sought a Class III position, citing eligibility under a 2023 state govt resolution that allows appointments based on educational qualifications.What has raised serious concerns is the sequence of events that followed. During hearings on a petition filed by existing civic employees in the high court, it emerged that Badhel’s upgradation to a Class III category had already been processed, even though his original appointment had not been finalised. Badhel submitted his application on Dec 21, 2023, and the proposal was initiated by the solid waste management department in Aug 2024. The case later drew political attention, with BJP MLC and former mayor Sandip Joshi forwarding a directive from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in July 2025, asking officials to expedite the process. Despite this, the appointment has remained pending.This move triggered strong opposition from existing employees, who approached the high court, arguing that promotions should strictly follow seniority norms and not be influenced by direct inductions. They alleged that combining the proposals could disrupt the established promotion hierarchy and create inequity within the workforce.Taking note of the objections, the high court has stayed the entire process, effectively putting on hold both the promotions of existing staff and Badhel’s appointment. “The proposal was forwarded to the state govt for approval, but further action has been halted due to the court’s stay,” said assistant commissioner Shyam Kapase from the general administration department.The development has been flagged as a clear violation of procedure, triggering questions over how such a move was approved within the civic administration.Senior officials defended the decision, stating that it was in line with the Feb 24, 2023 govt resolution based on Lad-Page committee’s recommendations. The policy permits family members of sanitation workers to be directly inducted into Class III posts depending on their educational qualifications, instead of being restricted to entry-level positions.A senior official from the general administration department said the proposal was sent to the state govt for approval, but the stay order has halted further action.The issue came to fore now after BJP corporator Manoj Sable raised it with mayor Neeta Thakre drawing her attention. She assured to look into the issue.The episode has not only stalled the careers of dozens of civic workers but also highlighted administrative confusion in implementing state policy. What was intended as a welfare measure to support families of sanitation workers has now turned into a contentious legal battle, raising broader concerns about transparency, due process and governance within the NMC.
