However, it was not a smooth passage for the government in the upper house. Opposition leaders Chhagan Bhujbal (Congress) and Vyankappa Patil (Janata Dal) raised several objections in the bill and insisted that the government take their suggestions seriously.

Only when Chief Minister Narayan Rane assured the house that the government would seriously consider the suggestions made by the opposition and implement them as soon as possible did the opposition relent and agree to pass the bill. Among the amendments suggested are that the mayor's financial powers be capped at a maximum of Rs 2 crore a year and that he be empowered to clear projects only upto Rs 15 lakh, not Rs 20 lakh as mentioned in the bill.

Bhujbal also suggestedthat the provision that all decisions of the standing committee are binding on the commissioner be amended. Otherwise, the standing committee and the Mayor will go scot-free of responsibility whereas the commissioner and through him the government will be bound, Bhujbal pointed out. He also castigated the government for making provisions that would lead to a `two-window clearance' system - one at the municipal corporation and the other at the state government level. ``Let the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation function on its own.''

Another suggestion, also made by Bhujbal, was to give statutory status to the leaders of the house and the opposition in the corporations. ``Also, it is not correct that the commissioner has powers to clear projects worth only Rs 10 lakh while the Mayor's powers extended to Rs 20 lakh,'' he stated.

Opposition leaders criticised the government for rushing the MiC system last year despite the opposition's plea to discuss its pros and cons. The Shiv-Sena BJP govt has always beenin a hurry to introduce something new only to backtrack and reverse its decisions later, the zhunka bhakar scheme and MiC being prime examples, said opposition leaders.