The Hindu : Dalit woman wins battle; GP superseded

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Dalit woman wins battle; GP superseded

By Our Staff Correspondent

MADIKERI JULY 6 . In what could be termed as a historic and landmark judgment, the High Court of Karnataka has superseded the Halugunda Gram Panchayat in Virajpet Taluk of Kodagu District and appointed the only Scheduled Caste (SC) contestant to the post of President of the GP for the second term of office as its administrative officer.

According to information, H.L. Sarojini, the only candidate from the SC community in the eight-member Halugunda Gram Panchayat, was certain that she would be elected president unopposed since the post was reserved for a SC (woman) candidate. But none of the other members proposed or seconded her name and she couldn't be elected to the post.

Ms. Sarojini moved the court alleging that the GP members had discriminated against here "holding her caste low" and they did not want somebody from the SC community to become the president of the gram panchayat. Incidentally, Ms. Sarojini was the vice-president in the panchayat's first term.

Sources said the court ruled that as per Section 3/1 (3) of the Panchayat Raj Act no caste discrimination could be tolerated. On this ground, Justice Chandrashekaraiah superseded the panchayat and ordered the appointment of Ms. Sarojini as administrative officer.

Of the eight members, Ms. Sarojini was the only one to have been elected with BJP support. The members, M.A. Udaya, who was president in the panchayat's first term, M.S. Poovaiah, K.R. Bhagya, and E. Ammuni, were backed by the Congress. B.A. Yousuf, A.M. Moidu Kunhi, and Najmunneesa were supported by the Janata Dal.

On December 22 last year, the election to the post of the president for the second term was to have been made but since none proposed or seconded the name of Ms. Sarojini, the election was postponed. Another meeting was convened on December 30, 2002, and again nobody backed Ms. Sarojini's candidature.

The meeting decided to back Mr. Yousuf, who had been elected vice-president unopposed. All the members, barring Ms. Sarojini, passed a resolution appointing Mr. Yousuf the in-charge president of the panchayat. A copy of the resolution was reportedly handed over to the Deputy Commissioner. The DC's office, however, did not respond to the resolution.

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