FPJ Impact: G/North Ward’s AMC Vinayak Vispute Removes Notice Banning Video Recording At Ward Office After Report Exposes Violation Of HC Order

Mumbai: The notice put up by assistant municipal commissioner of G/North ward, Vinayak Vispute, banning video recording in the premises of the ward office, was removed on Thursday after The Free Press Journal highlighted the violation of Bombay High Court’s order and also of a GR.

On June 24, The Free Press Journal carried a report highlighting a notice pasted outside the chamber of Vispute. It asked citizens to switch-off their mobile phones before entering his office and restricted any photo or video recording inside the office, claiming that the devices would be seized if any citizen was found recording without permission. This was in violation of the Bombay High Court’s ruling which allows recording video of meetings with public officials.

On the basis of the report, the Petition Group led by Kamlakar Shenoy and Dr G.R. Vora complained to the municipal commissioner in protest against the board. Talking to The Free Press Journal, the group had warned of moving the High Court for contempt against Vispute if he did not remove the board immediately. Dr G R Vora of the group had described Vispute's action as plain "dadagiri.”

After The Free Press Journal reported about the complaint on June 26, the notice was removed the same day in the morning. Chakachak Dadar, a social organisation working to highlight civic issues in Central Mumbai, shared on social media a picture of the notice teared down from the wall on Thursday.

Chetan Kamble, founder of Chakachak Dadar, said, “The removal of the board is a small but significant victory for transparency. Public offices are funded by citizens and must remain open to public scrutiny. Attempts to ban photography or videography raises suspicion. Installing such boards without legal backing amounts to suppression of transparency and could even be seen as an attempt to shield officials from scrutiny.”

Vora said, “We demand that the public servants do not take us for granted. They are paid to serve the public and they should be doing their duty rather than passing arbitrary orders which do not fall in their line of duty. The order passed by Vispute was anti-people. Also, the officials should stop giving verbal directions to their subordinates as such orders are mostly ignored and there is no record of such directions.” When Vispute was posted in H/west ward, Bandra, and in the estate department several builders had complained against him.