Who is Vishakha Raut? Ex-Mumbai mayor stripped of BMC seat, barred from polls for 6 years over invalid OBC certificate

Vishakha Raut's membership of the BMC House was terminated with effect from August 20, following a decision by the caste scrutiny committee.Vishakha Raut accused the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government of targeting her through political vendetta.Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vishakha Raut has been disqualified as a corporator of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after the Palghar Caste Scrutiny Committee invalidated her Other Backward Classes (OBC) caste certificate.BMC Mayor Ritu Tawde announced the development during the civic body's general body meeting on Monday.Raut's membership of the BMC House was terminated with effect from August 20 following the committee's decision.The state government had issued a Government Resolution (GR) last week formally disqualifying Raut and also barring her from contesting elections for six years.Who is Vishakha Raut?Raut, who has previously served as Mumbai's mayor, was elected from Ward No. 191 in Dadar from a seat reserved for women belonging to the OBC category.She defeated Shiv Sena candidate Priya Sarvankar, daughter of former MLA Sada Sarvankar, by just 197 votes in the election. Raut received 13,236 votes, while Sarvankar polled 13,039 votes.Tawde said during Monday's general body meeting that Raut was no longer eligible to continue as a corporator after the caste scrutiny committee invalidated her certificate.Raut is the fifth corporator in Mumbai to face disqualification following action involving a caste certificate.High court rejects Raut's pleaRaut had approached the Bombay High Court to challenge the action against her. However, the court rejected her plea regarding a communication from BMC chief Ashwini Bhide to the state government.The communication had sought a gazette notification formally declaring Raut disqualified from the civic body.Following the development, Raut accused the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government of targeting her through political vendetta. She also questioned the speed at which the civic administration proceeded with the disqualification after the caste scrutiny committee's decision.“There is a saying in the BMC—‘BMC cha kaam ani saha mahine thamb’ (BMC work means waiting six months),” Raut said, questioning how quickly the process moved in her case.“This appears to have been pre-decided—to disqualify UBT Shiv Sena corporators having such issues at this speed. The political vendetta is clear."The action now brings an end to Raut's tenure as a BMC corporator with effect from August 20 and prevents her from contesting elections for the next six years under the state government's order.