Poll panel disqualifies 5 convicted mukhiyas

PATNA: Five gram panchayat mukhiyas have been disqualified by the state election commission (SEC) from holding the post, as they had been convicted in criminal cases and imprisoned for more than six months by the competent courts.
The disqualified mukhiyas are Ram Sewak Singh of Alawalpur panchayat under Fatuha block of Patna, Ganesh Prasad Yadav of Sara panchayat under Chapra Sadar block, Ram Swaroop Rai of Saidpur panchayat under Dariyapur block of Saran district, Ram Paras Rai of West Sabalpur (Sonepur) panchayat in Chapra and Prabhunath Prasad Yadav of Bansghat-Masuria panchayat under Baikunthpur block of Gopalganj.The fresh elections for the post of Mukhiyas of these panchayats will be held later on.
Three other mukhiyas, who were found qualified by the SEC to hold the posts, were Safi-ur-Rehman of west Vilaspur-Sirniyan panchayat under Hayaghat block of Darbhanga, Ganesh Prasad Yadav of Usri panchayat under Baikunthpur block of Gopalganj and Pankaj Kumar Mishra of Dumri panchayat of the same block of Muzaffarpur.
Of the three mukhiyas, Rehman had, earlier, been exonerated by the Patna High Court of all the charges. State election commissioner M L Majumdar has so far heard 15 of the 74 cases brought up before him for disposal, in which the panchayat mukhiyas had been convicted in criminal cases and sentenced to imprisonment.
The hearing started on June 27 and continued till June 29. Seven of the 15 cases were deferred to other dates for one reason or the other. The hearing will, however, be resumed on Tuesday.According to SEC sources, although July 24 is the last date of hearing in these 74 cases, it may be extended if the hearing of all the 74 cases is not completed by then. As per Section 139 (1)(g) of the Bihar Panchayat Raj Act, any elected gram panchayat mukhiya can be declared disqualified to hold the post, if he or she is imprisoned for more than six months in a criminal case.