House Leader Sagar Naik is set to approach court after the state Urban Development Department invoked provisions under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, to suspend a decision raising the retirement age to 60 years. The proposal had earlier been approved by the standing committee of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), but its sudden halt has triggered a fresh political confrontation between the BJP and the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena. Naik strongly criticised the move, alleging it was a deliberate attempt to block a policy aimed at benefiting experienced and efficient municipal employees.
On March 11, the NMMC Standing Committee had cleared a proposal to increase the retirement age of municipal officers and staff from 58 to 60 years under the draft Service Regulations 2026. The resolution was introduced by House Leader and committee member Sagar Naik during a meeting chaired by Standing Committee Chairman Ashok Patil. The regulations were framed under Section 465 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, and were approved with certain amendments. However, citing provisions under the same Act, the Urban Development Department later suspended the resolution, putting the proposal on hold and resulting in eight employees retiring in March.
Naik maintained that the proposal was intended to ensure justice for senior staff and retain experienced personnel within the civic system. He said that if approved by the general body, the revised rules would extend the tenure of employees by two years, strengthening administrative continuity. Criticising the suspension, Naik stated that the people of Navi Mumbai now understand who is opposing the city’s development. He confirmed that the civic body will challenge the decision in court. With tensions rising, the matter is now expected to undergo legal scrutiny as the political stand-off intensifies.