Vishakha Raut: Major blow to Uddhav Thackeray in the BMC:Corporator Vishakha Raut’s caste certificate cancelled, corporator position also at risk.

• Mantralaya Times 22/08/2026

Mumbai: In a major setback for Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, corporator Vishakha Raut’s seat is now in jeopardy. The Palghar District Collector has cancelled her Kunbi caste certificate, making her cancellation of corporatorship highly likely. Vishakha Raut now has a three-month window to file an appeal. Raut is a former mayor and was elected from Ward No. 191 against Priya Sarvankar, the daughter of Shinde-faction Shiv Sena’s Sada Sarvankar.

The issue of Vishakha Raut’s caste certificate will now be brought before the Municipal Corporation house, after which a final decision will be taken. Meanwhile, Vishakha Raut stated that she possesses caste certificate records dating back to her grandfather’s time. She also added that the Palghar District Collector has no authority to issue a decision on this matter.

It is being said that if Vishakha Raut’s corporatorship is cancelled, runner-up Priya Sarvankar might get the opportunity to serve as corporator for the remaining tenure. Consequently, all eyes are on what steps the Thackeray faction takes next.

What does the order say?

On January 16, 2026, in connection with the said election, she submitted the certificate to the Certificate Verification Committee. The caste certificate used in the election was issued by the Sub-Divisional Officer, Palghar. Along with her application for obtaining a caste validity certificate, the applicant attached supporting documents, affidavits, family trees, and the Kunbi caste validity certificates of Chaitali Jitendra Raul, Amruta Jitendra Raul, and Virat Jagdish Raul. However, due to a lack of evidence, blood relationships between the applicant and the holders of the said caste validity certificates could not be proven. Therefore, the committee responds to Point No. 3 in the negative.

Based on the above discussion and findings, the committee issues the following order:

Order:

1. Caste Certificate No. 41636350840 dated December 19, 2025, issued to the applicant by the Sub-Divisional Officer and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Palghar, is hereby cancelled as it has been proven that they were not competent to issue it. The applicant is directed to apply for a caste certificate along with the necessary proofs to the competent authority (Mumbai City) within whose jurisdiction her father’s side resided on the deemed date.

2. The applicant failed to establish a blood relationship with the holders of the Kunbi caste certificates submitted along with the affidavit and other documents in her application for the Kunbi caste validity certificate.

3. Within 15 days of receiving this order, the applicant must surrender Caste Certificate No. 41636350840 dated December 19, 2025, issued by the Sub-Divisional Officer and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Palghar, to the committee’s office.

4. An appeal against this order may be filed before the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division, under Section 6-D of the “Maharashtra Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, De-notified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis), Nomadic Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Special Backward Category (Regulation of Issuance and Verification of) Caste Certificate Act, 2000″ within 30 days from the date of receipt of this order.