Collector's act like political agent, should be removed immediately: MP HC

Bhopal, Aug 3 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday slammed the Panna district collector for not complying with 'natural justice' in the panchayat elections and declaring winner the candidate who had received lesser number of votes.

Hearing the petition, the court asserted that "this person is not fit for the post of collector and he should be removed from the post immediately."

The court said that Panna district collector Sanjay Kumar Mishra has "acted like a political agent. He conducted himself to be a political agent by passing this order and he has no regard for the natural justice. This man should be removed from the collector's post," the court said.

The court's observation came while hearing an election petition filed by Parmanand Sharma, who was one of the candidates for the post of vice-president in Panna Janpad panchayat.

After the process of electing janpad panchayat members through direct voting, the elected members had to vote to elect the president and vice-president of the particular janpad panchayat.

The elections for the post of president and vice-president were held in July 27. Parmanand Sharma had received 13 out of the total 27 votes against his opponent Ram Shiromani. Accordingly, the presiding officer had handed the winner's certificate to Sharma.

Soon after the election results were announced, Ram Shiromani had challenged the outcome. Shiromani had approached Panna district collector Sanjay Kumar Mishra. The collector called both the parties and conducted a lottery to declare the winner for the vice-president's post. And Shiromani, who had secured less number of votes, was declared the winner.

Subsequent to that, Sharma filed a petition before the High Court to challenge the outcome from the lottery system.

After hearing the petition on Wednesday, the High Court said the collector is not fit for the post and he should be removed. The court also made the collector a party in the case.