Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
In a dramatic turn of events, the Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court has issued an interim order halting the filling of the vacant Sarpanch position in Chikhli Budruk Gram Panchayat, Jalgaon district, until further notice under Justice Kishore C. Sant .
This order comes after the controversial disqualification of Sarpanch Sudeshna Dhanraj Patil, which has now been challenged in court. The dispute erupted when five Gram Panchayat members, including Sadanand Wagh, accused Patil of failing to hold the mandatory monthly meetings in September and October 2023. Under Section 36 of the Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Act, 1959, holding such meetings is a legal obligation. In response to their complaint, the Jalgaon District Collector disqualified Patil on December 30, after an inquiry report by the Group Development Officer of Bodwad Panchayat Samiti confirmed the absence of these meetings.
However, Patil through her lawyer Advocate Ravindra Gore, contested the decision, claiming that the District Collector had violated legal procedures during the disqualification process. Adv Gore argued that the Collector had issued only a simple hearing notice and had failed to conduct a thorough inquiry or establish clear charges against Patil. Furthermore, he pointed out that the Collector did not consider Patil’s defense before making a final decision.
The suspense continues as the High Court's interim order prevents the appointment of a new Sarpanch until the case is fully heard. The Bench has directed that a notice be issued to the respondents, setting the stage for further legal battles in the coming weeks.
The case has drawn attention due to the political and legal implications it holds for the functioning of local governance in the region. As the legal proceedings unfold, all eyes are now on the Bench of Bombay High Court for its next move.