The Bombay High Court has restrained the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from deploying court staff for election duty, questioning the Commissioner's authority. In a late-evening hearing, a special bench took suo motu cognisance after the BMC Commissioner, also the District Election Officer, declined requests to exempt court staff. The court noted a 2008 administrative decision exempting judicial staff and directed the Commissioner to file a personal affidavit explaining his jurisdiction. The BMC sought to withdraw its communication, but the court declined.