MUMBAI, July 9 -- The Bombay high court last week directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to urgently reconsider its December 2022 decision to put on hold its March 2019 policy regarding granting temporary permissions for film sets in the city. The BMC had suspended its 2019 policy after noticing some inconsistencies in the circular issued for its implementation. A division bench of justices GS Kulkarni and Arif Doctor said that the municipal commissioner urgently needs to look into issues regarding existing structures built for film shootings, as the BMC's policy was not being followed and the temporary permissions had not been renewed. "We find that the issues are causing immense prejudice to all the stakeholders, including lakhs of workers," the bench said. The bench requested senior advocate Nikhil Sakhardande, representing the BMC, to have an urgent meeting with the BMC commissioner so that immediate, appropriate steps are taken to resolve the matter. The court has also requested the principal secretary of the state urban development department to look into the matter. The court was hearing several petitions challenging the BMC's abrupt halting of its policy to grant permissions for temporary or semi-permanent structures for film shootings. In one of the petitions, Aimgold Hospitality LLP said that, based on the BMC policy, it had taken on lease a 1,425-square-metre property on SV Road in Vile Parle and obtained permissions from various authorities to construct a temporary shed for film shootings. The permissions were renewed from time to time, the firm said. However, in January 2023, the BMC revoked the permission, claiming the temporary shed was being misused for weddings and other purposes, the firm told the court. Eventually, in February 2023, civic authorities directed the petitioner to remove the temporary structure in 15 days. The petitioner contended that the decision to revoke the licence was taken in complete breach of the principles of natural justice, as the company was not provided with a show-cause notice and an opportunity to be heard. It also contended that the policy was adopted by the BMC's general body-the supreme authority in the municipal corporation-and an unelected municipal commissioner, acting as an administrator, could not put it on hold. "The municipal commissioner, acting only as an administrator, does not have any jurisdiction to take decisions which will overturn the policies made by the elected representatives of the people," said the petitioner. The firm added that the abrupt suspension of the policy had caused it immense financial loss, and urged the court to strike down the decision. The court has posted the petitions for further hearing on July 17....