4 disqualified corporators banned to contest elections for 6 yrs

Akola, May 6: Four disqualified municipal corporators of Akola have been debarred from contesting the municipal elections for six years from the date of their disqualification under section 10 (1) (b) of the Mumbai Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949, Akola Municipal Corporation (AMC) sources said.

The four corporators - Sachhanand Lllam, Ms Azra Nasrin (both Congress), Rajkumar Mulchandani (NCP) and Ikbal Ahmad Qureshi (SP) - were disqualified after they failed to prove to the Caste Verification Committee (Akola) that they belonged to the OBC category.

The Caste Verification Committee, after giving an opportunity to the four corporators to prove their innocence, declared that they were disqualified because they were elected on the basis of illegal caste certificates.

Akola Municipal Commissioner Chandrashekar Rokde has informed in writing to the four corporators that they have been debarred from contesting the civic elections for six years as per law, the AMC sources said.

The ruling Congress-NCP alliance in the AMC received a setback following the disqualification of the members by the Caste Verification Committee.

The the strength of Congress in the House has come down to 17 from 19 and the NCP has reduced to 10 from 11. The fourth disqualified SP corporator had also supported the alliance in the 71-member House of AMC.

Congress Party floor leader Jahruddin Chavan said'' the ruling alliance is now in minority after the expulsion of the four corporators. The strength is now 39.''

UNI