3 min readMay 1, 2026 12:02 PM IST
After uncovering widespread violations in birth-death registrations across Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has called for a phased transfer of Medical Health Officers (MHOs) across the city’s 24 wards, suspended two such officers, and okayed a five-point reform plan that recommends an investigation by its vigilance department.
The irregularities came to light during an ongoing drive to identify illegal Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya in Mumbai, which allegedly revealed that fake birth certificates were being issued to illegal migrants.
A subsequent civic probe found that MHOs were making corrections to birth-death records through an old SAP-CPWM system instead of the new Civic Registration System (CRS) portal, which had been made mandatory as per guidelines issued by the Registrar General of India (RGI). The probe allegedly found that more than 87,000 corrections were carried out through the SAP system between 2024 and 2026, of which 30,507 were done in 2024, and over 49,000 in 2025.
In light of the findings, BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide on Thursday approved the reform plan that called for the suspension of MHOs in L (Kurla) and E (Byculla) wards. Previously, the BMC had suspended two MHOs and two birth registration clerks in the M/East ward while cancelling 237 certificates on the CRS portal. According to officials, an independent inquiry has been launched to ascertain violations in the L ward.
The plan also recommends an investigation of birth-death registration cases across the 24 wards by the civic vigilance department.
Owing to the glaring rule violations, the civic body has directed the IT department to immediately revoke all SAP systems.
Since the violations were noted across the city, the civic body has called for a transfer of MHOs across all 24 wards in a phased structure, owing to the ongoing Census work. In the first phase, the MHOs of K West, R/North, and E wards are slated for immediate transfer.
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Meanwhile, the BMC is eying to restructure the responsibilities of MHOs, senior medical officials and District Registrar Office cadres to facilitate balanced work distribution.
The crackdown against undocumented immigrants was intensified in February after the newly inducted mayor, Ritu Tawde, issued directives to remove all illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya hawkers from the streets.
