Elected representative cannot be disqualified without strong evidence

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The aurangabad bench of the bombay high court has stayed the disqualification of Shaikh Jafar Nizam, a member of the Sahajapur gram panchayat in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar tehsil, observing that no strong or conclusive evidence was produced to disqualify a democratically elected representative.

A complaint was filed by Shaikh Shahanur Shaikh Hasan Patel alleging that Shaikh Jafar Nizam had a third child after September 12, 2001 and was therefore disqualified under sections 14 and 16 of the Maharashtra gram panchayat act, 1958. The district collector, after seeking a report from the tehsildar, passed an order disqualifying him on March 24, 2025. The appeal before the additional divisional commissioner was rejected.

Shaikh Jafar Nizam challenged the orders in the high court through adv Ravindra Gore. After hearing the matter, justice Santosh Chapalgaonkar stayed the orders of the district collector and the divisional commissioner. Advocate Ravindra Gore represented the petitioner, assisted by advocates Chandrakant Bodkhe, Shubham Shinde, Adesh Ban and Adil Shaikh.