High Court bars village pradhan from contesting Chamba ZP poll

RPUR, JANUARY 7

In a judgment, the High Court has debarred a gram panchayat pradhan from contesting the zila parishad election. He had filed his nomination papers from Banet in Chowari, Chamba district.

Following the order, returning officer-cum-SDM, Chowari, Bachan Singh rejected his nomination papers yesterday.

Nirmal Singh, outgoing pradhan of Kuddi in Bhatiyat Development Block, had been facing charges of fund misutilisation to the tune of lakhs of rupees in the construction of a village road. Following complaints, the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, Chamba, had conducted an inquiry against him. A notice to recover Rs 13,88,582 within seven days had also been served on him. He had filed a petition in the high court against the recovery notice and also sought permission to contest elections. But the court rejected it.

Bachan Singh told The Tribune that the locals had filed objections against his nomination on January 4.

“After verifying the facts, his nomination was rejected on Tuesday,” he said. Nirmal Singh said the Panchayati Raj Department had conducted the one-sided inquiry against him and the recovery notice had served on him under political pressure. — OC