The Dharwad bench of the High Court has upheld the Belagavi regional commissioner’s decision to suspend two BJP corporators for holding an ‘office of profit.’ The ruling emphasizes legal restrictions on elected officials holding positions that may lead to conflicts of interest.
The court dismissed the petition filed by the two Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) members, challenging their disqualification from the corporation.
Regional Commissioner Sanjay B Shettennavar issued the suspension order on Monday, disqualifying Jayant Jadhav (Ward No. 23) and Mangesh Pawar (Ward No. 41) for leasing food stalls, built by the public works department near Basaveshwar Circle, in their wives’ names.
During the auction process, Jadhav took the lease in his wife Sonali’s name, and Pawar in his wife Neeta’s name. Neither of their wives was elected as corporators at the time of the lease, but after the corporators’ election, the stalls were not returned to the concerned authorities.
On November 9, 2023, social activist Sujit Mulgund filed a complaint with the regional commissioner, requesting the disqualification of the corporators for taking benefits from the corporation without returning the stalls, violating the Karnataka Municipal Council (KMC) Act. After a detailed investigation, the RC issued the disqualification order. The corporators later approached the High Court to challenge the decision.
