CUTTACK: IN a relief to the Mayor of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) K Madhavi, Orissa High Court on Tuesday issued an interim stay on the lower court’s order for disqualifying her election as Corporator. On February 14, the District and Sessions Court, Ganjam, had disqualified Madhavi as Corporator of the civic body on charges of submitting false affidavit about her marital status before the election.
The allegations were made by former BeMC Mayor and BJP leader Siba Shankar Das, who had moved the local court in 2014 alleging that Madhavi had married for second time without divorcing her first husband following which the court had disqualified her election as Corporator. Challenging the local court’s verdict, Madhavi had moved Orissa High Court on February 16.
District and Sessions Court Judge MR Das stated that Madhavi had violated the provisions of Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, according to which a person having two spouses is not eligible to contest urban local body (ULB)election. Madhavi’s counsel had argued that she had a child marriage which was later kept aside after personal divorce. Considering the argument, a single bench of High Court comprising Justice CR Das passed the interim stay on the lower court’s order.