EC Recommends Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's Disqualification From Assembly, Sends Report To Governor

The recommendation has been made in relation to a mine owned by the Chief Minister

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren ( Image Source :ANI )

The Election Commission (EC) of India has recommended disqualification of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren as an MLA for violating electoral law . The EC has sent a letter to the governor in this regard. The recommendation has been made in relation to a mine owned by the Chief Minister, reported ABP News.

The opinion was sent to the Jharkhand Raj Bhavan in a sealed cover this morning. Governor Ramesh Bais is in Delhi and will reach Ranchi at 2 pm after which it will be published in the gazette. 

Under Article 192 of the Constitution, if any question arises as to whether a member of a House of the Legislature of a state has become subject to any of the disqualifications, the question shall be referred to the governor whose decision shall be final, reported PTI.

However, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has denied receiving any communication in this regard from the  governor or the Election Commission of India.

"The Chief Minister is apprised of several media reports about ECI sending a report to Jharkhand Governor "apparently recommending his disqualification as an MLA". No communication in this regard has been received by CMO from either ECI or Governor, the Jharkhand CMO said in a statement, as reported by ANI.

The Chief Minister is apprised of several media reports about ECI sending a report to Jharkhand Governor "apparently recommending his disqualification as an MLA". No communication in this regard has been received by CMO from either ECI or Governor: Jharkhand CMO

(File photo) pic.twitter.com/pRtGyqbqY0

— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2022

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the petitioner in the case, has accused Hemant Soren of allotting himself a stone mining lease by misusing his position as the mining and forest minister of the state.

RTI activist Shivshankar Sharma had filed two PILs demanding CBI and ED investigation into the mining scam in Jharkhand. It is alleged that Hemant Soren misused his position to own a stone quarry mine. The Soren family is also accused of investing in shell companies, reported ABP News.

Eralier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court stayed the proceedings in the Jharkhand High Court on PILs filed against Chief Minister Hemant Soren, accusing him of money laundering and irregularities while granting mining leases.

(More details awaited. Please refresh the page for updates)