VELLORE: The State Election Commission disqualified Tholapalli panchayat president Kalpana Suresh on Tuesday for producing a fake caste certificate to secure the post.
According to sources, elections to rural local bodies for nine districts were held in October, 2021. The Tholapalli panchayat president post was reserved for SCs. Suresh contested and won with 609 votes.
However, A Bakiyaraj, a member of Arunthathiyar community, lodged a complaint against her for allegedly claiming to belong to Adi Dravidar caste when she actually belongs to Naidu community. Bakiyaraj, who lost to Suresh, petitioned the then Vellore Collector, Kumaravel Pandian.
The collector’s vigilance team conducted a probe and discovered that Suresh’s certificate was forged.
Following this, a report was submitted to the State Election Commission, and in January 2023, the collector ordered the freezing of Suresh’s authority to sign cheques for the panchayat. On December 31, 2022, the Veppamkuppam police registered a case against Suresh under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and forgery.