Facing recall vote, leaders cry hoarse

It was the first of its kind election with voters exercising their franchise under a law that provides for recall of elected representatives...

It was the first of its kind election with voters exercising their franchise under a law that provides for recall of elected representatives of municipal bodies. President of three urban bodies, facing the threat of being removed, kept their fingers crossed as polling concluded peacefully on Sunday in three nagar panchayats of Gunderdehi, Nawagarh in Durg district and Rajpur in tribal Sarguja district. The results are expected to be declared by June 17 afternoon, state Election Commissioner Sushil Trivedi said.

The three presidents whose fates were sealed through this voting are Bharti Sonkar of Gunderdehi, Khioren Khalko of Rajpur, who belonged to the Congress, and Sitaram Ganekar of Nawagarh, who is an Independent.

8220;I am confident that the people will retain me as the president of Rajpur Nagar Panchayat,8221; said Khalko, against whom the corporators had moved the district administration saying that they have lost confidence in him and hence, he must be recalled under Section 47 of the Chhattisgarh Nagar Palika Act, 1961. 8220;I know who all have worked against me,8221; he told The Indian Express over telephone from Rajpur.

Nawagarh Nagar panchayat president Sitaram Ganekar said: 8220;The corporators of both the BJP and Congress got together to initiate the process of recall against me.8221;

Gunderdehi Nagar Panchayat president Bharti Sonkar was not available for comment. Sonkar had moved the court against the process of recall, but could not succeed in stalling the process.

The Nagar Panchayats are governed under the Municipal Act.

8220;We didn8217;t have electronic voting machines, hence traditional ballot papers were used,8221; said Trivedi, adding that voters were enthusiastic about the election for recall of elected representatives.

The nitty-gritty

As per Section 47 of Chhattisgarh Nagar Palika Act, 1961, if three-fourth of the total number of elected representatives of the municipal bodies gave it in writing to the district collector demanding recall of the president, the district administration, after verifying the circumstances, could suggest to the state Government accordingly. The state Government then would send the proposal to the state Election Commission for conducting an election to recall the president.