BHOPAL: A first-time woman sarpanch has lost her post for handing over her rights and duties to a man from the same village in Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh.
Under the provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act, Kailashi Devi Kachchawa, a first-time woman sarpanch of Daata village of the Manasa area of western MP’s Neemuch district has been removed from her post.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Neemuch District Panchayat Aman Vaishnav had recently received a complaint about the woman sarpanch having handed over her rights and duties as sarpanch to Suresh Garasiya from the same village Suresh Garasiya.
The agreement between the village sarpanch Kailashi Bai and Suresh Garasiya happened on a Rs 500 stamp paper on January 24. The agreement was signed by both parties as well as two eyewitnesses.
A notice was issued by the CEO of Neemuch district panchayat to the village sarpanch under Section 40 of the Panchayati Raj Act.
A notice was also issued to the panchayat secretary of the concerned gram panchayat over why the development happened.
While the concerned village sarpanch denied that she had purchased the stamp paper, the probe revealed that it was she, who had purchased the stamp paper and signed the agreement.
The statements of the two witnesses who had signed the document were also recorded.
"Subsequently, Kailashi Bai has been removed from the sarpanch’s post under the provisions of the Panchayati Raj Act,” CEO of Neemuch District Panchayat Aman Vaishnav said.
Importantly, the photocopy of the agreement signed on the Rs 500 stamp paper had gone viral on February 8.
The agreement stated that from the date of the signing of the contract (January 24, 2025) all rights and duties as village sarpanch, including those on PM Awas Yojana, MGNREGA Scheme and watershed mission will be handed over to Suresh Garasiya.
The document, signed by two witnesses, also stated that the person who violated the agreement (contract) would have to pay four times the damages (the amount was not mentioned in the agreement).