MUMBAI, August 25, 2026: Legislative participation among Mumbai’s elected representatives has witnessed a sharp decline, with total questions raised in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly dropping by 72% compared to the 12th Assembly, according to the ‘Mumbai MLA Report Card 2026’ released by Praja Foundation.

The report evaluated the performance of 33 Mumbai MLAs across the Winter 2024 and Monsoon 2025 sessions based on session attendance, participation, quality of questions raised, and overall constitutional duties. Out of 33 MLAs, only three scored above 80%, with Indian National Congress representatives securing all top three positions.
Top Performing MLAs

Rank 1: Amin Patel (Congress) — Score: 82.89

Rank 2: Aslam Shaikh (Congress) — Score: 80.58

Rank 3: Jyoti Gaikwad (Congress) — Score: 80.30

Key Report Findings

Plunge in Legislative Inquiries: MLAs asked only 2,213 questions in the 15th Assembly (Winter 2024 – Monsoon 2025), down significantly from 7,955 questions in the 12th Assembly (Winter 2009 – Monsoon 2010).

Decline in Question Quality: The quality score of questions asked dropped from an average of 50% in the 12th Assembly to 33% in the 15th Assembly.

Fewer Working Days: In its first year, the 15th Assembly met for only 40 working days, compared to 47 days in the 12th Assembly and 50 days in the 13th Assembly.

Stagnant Overall Scores: The overall average performance score of legislators fell from 61 in the 12th Assembly to 54 in the 14th Assembly, before slightly recovering to 55 in the 15th Assembly.

Aging Representatives: The average age of Mumbai MLAs has progressively increased over time, moving from 52 years (12th Assembly) and 51 years (13th Assembly) to 53 years (14th Assembly) and now 57 years in the 15th Assembly.

Concerns Over Democratic Accountability
Addressing the findings, Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, stated that performance metrics reflect whether citizens’ concerns are reaching the house floor. While top performers demonstrated strong engagement, the overall stagnating scores highlight significant gaps in representation.

Asif Khan, Manager at Praja Foundation, warned that shorter session durations and fewer quality questions deprive citizens of a critical mechanism to hold the government accountable.

Hyderabad, Aug 25: Inspector of Jubilee Hills Police Station in Hyderabad has been suspended over Forest and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha’s former OSD, N. Sumanth’s case.

Muttu Yadav, the Inspector (Station House Officer) of Jubilee Hills Police Station, faced the action over the alleged delay in filing the First Information Report (FIR) and failure to trace Sumanth.

Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar issued orders, suspending the SHO. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered into the handling of the case by the police.

Sumanth remained at large in a case of alleged assault on a real estate businessman. His driver was picked up by police on Sunday.

Sumanth and five others were booked following a complaint filed by the realtor, who alleged that he was assaulted with iron rods and that the accused demanded Rs 10 crore from him.

An attempt to murder case was registered against the former OSD and five others.

A zero FIR was registered against N. Sumanth and five others at Medipally Police Station of Malkajgiri Police Commissionerate last week.

Later, the case was transferred to Jubilee Hills Police Station of Hyderabad Commissionerate.

Gongidi Harikrishna, a resident of Boduppal, lodged a complaint. Harikrishna alleged that he was assaulted with iron rods and sticks and threatened with dire consequences.

The case was registered against former OSD Sumanth, Ramu, Prashanth, Arun Kumar Reddy, Karthik and Mahender Reddy under Section 109 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The complainant said Sumanth and others assaulted him on July 30.

Harikrishna stated that Sumanth asked him to meet at Ramu’s office. Sumanth allegedly abused him and hit him with an iron rod. On Sumanth’s direction, others also joined the assault.

The complainant claimed that he sustained a fracture to his left hand, bleeding injuries and other injuries and that he underwent surgery on August 10.

The case was registered amid a controversy involving Minister Konda Surekha’s family.

Her daughter Konda Sushmitha’s recent remarks against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy triggered a storm in the ruling Congress party.

At her mother’s birthday celebrations in Warangal district, Sushmita declared that she would contest from Parkala Assembly constituency in the next elections even if she was denied a party ticket. She also made allegations of corruption against the Chief Minister’s family.

Taking serious note of the allegations, the disciplinary committee of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) issued a show-cause notice to the minister.

Surekha distanced herself from her daughter’s remarks, saying the latter expressed her personal views.

Bengaluru, Aug 25: Former Karnataka Minister and BJP leader, B. Sriramulu, on Tuesday alleged that the funds allegedly misappropriated from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Limited (KMVSTDCL) were routed to the residence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing the media at the BJP state headquarters Jagannatha Bhavan in Bengaluru, Sriramulu alleged that BJP leaders had raised slogans in the Assembly claiming that the misappropriated Valmiki Corporation funds had reached Rahul Gandhi’s residence and the government curtailed the Assembly session.

Sriramulu said the BJP has decided to undertake a padayatra from September 1, led by state BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra, BJP leaders Gali Janardhana Reddy, R. Ashoka, Bangaru Hanumantu and other party leaders.

The 10-day padayatra will begin in Raichur on September 1 and conclude in Ballari on September 10, he said.

“The padayatra will highlight issues including the government’s alleged negligence towards irrigation, corruption in the ST Corporation and the Valmiki Corporation issue. The Congress has been neglecting Dalits. The BJP is undertaking this major padayatra because we will not allow injustice to be done to Dalits,” Sriramulu said.

Sriramulu accused Congress leaders of shedding “crocodile tears” over issues concerning Dalits.

He alleged that the government had curtailed the Assembly session after taking note of the BJP’s protests over the issue.

“Protests were held in both the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. Congress leaders have betrayed Babasaheb Ambedkar, Babu Jagjivan Ram and the Dalit community,” he alleged.

It can be noted that the Valmiki Corporation scam involves the alleged illegal diversion of funds from the KMVSTDCL.

The alleged scam came to light in May 2024 following the suicide of 52-year-old corporation superintendent Chandrasekar. P., who left a suicide note detailing unauthorised fund transfers and corruption.

While initial irregularities centered around smaller figures, investigative agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) pegged the total misappropriation and diverted funds at around Rs 89 crore.

Funds earmarked for tribal welfare projects were illegally moved to unauthorised bank accounts—including bogus accounts opened using forged KYC documents at the Union Bank of India’s MG Road branch in Bengaluru—and later layered through shell cooperatives like Hyderabad’s First Finance Credit Cooperative Society.

The then-Karnataka Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare was identified by probe agencies as a primary mastermind behind the layering and siphoning of the funds. Nagendra previously resigned from the Cabinet, faced arrest, and later secured bail.

Currently, Nagendra has recently taken charge of Minister for Planning and Statistics in the Cabinet led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. BJP and JD (S) have announced that they will agitate until Nagendra is sacked from the Cabinet.