Mumbai civic body introduces randomised engineer transfers amid graft allegations

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has introduced a computerised system for transferring engineers, moving away from the earlier process amid allegations of political interference and irregularities in postings within the civic body.Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide has issued a circular directing that transfers in the engineering department will now be carried out through an Employee Transfer System Based on Randomization.Under the new system, eligible junior engineers, sub-engineers and assistant engineers will be required to submit their preferences through an online application process. The application window will remain open from September 5 to September 20, 2026.The BMC said the new system will take into account administrative requirements, vacancies, applications submitted by employees and recommendations received before determining postings. COMPUTER-BASED SYSTEM TO REDUCE HUMAN INTERVENTIONAccording to the new rules, eligible employees can submit a minimum of one and a maximum of five preferences for their preferred locations and structural departments.The move is aimed at reducing human intervention in the transfer process and bringing greater transparency and uniformity to engineer postings. Engineers who have been serving in the same section or department for three years and fail to submit their preferences within the stipulated period will also be considered by the system for transfer. In such cases, the computerised system will automatically determine an appropriate transfer based on the applicable criteria.Applications for transfers sought on grounds such as disability or medical reasons will, however, continue to be accepted offline.POLITICAL RECOMMENDATIONS IN BMC TRANSFERSThe move comes after BMC records relating to engineer transfers reportedly brought to light extensive political involvement in the posting process.Recommendation letters concerning transfers were reportedly traced to several high-profile public representatives, including Union ministers, Members of Parliament, MLAs and municipal corporators.The disclosures raised questions over whether postings within the civic engineering departments were being influenced by political recommendations rather than administrative requirements, seniority or merit.BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha had also alleged the existence of a “cash-for-transfer” system involving BMC engineers. He had demanded a detailed inquiry by Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal into alleged financial transactions linked to the transfer and posting of engineers.The allegations intensified public scrutiny of the BMC's transfer mechanism and raised concerns over whether lucrative postings were being sought or allocated through political influence.NEW SYSTEM AFTER TRANSFER CONTROVERSYAgainst this backdrop, the BMC administration has restructured its transfer procedure, with the computer-driven system intended to limit discretionary decision-making.Under the revised process, engineers will have to submit their preferred locations and structural departments through the designated online portal during the September 5-20 application window.The administration will consider the available vacancies and other prescribed requirements before the system determines transfers.The introduction of the randomisation-based system is expected to bring greater transparency to engineer postings and reduce the scope for arbitrary decisions.It also comes at a time when allegations surrounding political recommendations and a possible “cash-for-transfer” market have put the BMC's engineering department under increased scrutiny.- EndsPublished By: Ritaban MisraPublished On: Sep 4, 2026 14:35 IST