ECI Sends Its Opinion To Jharkhand Guv On Disqualification Of CM Soren's Brother As MLA: Report

Jharkhand News: BJP legislators sought JMM MLA Basan Soren's disqualification as he was accused of being a co-owner of a mining firm which he did not disclose in his election affidavit.

New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has reportedly sent its opinion to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais regarding the disqualification of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA and Chief Minister Hemant Soren's brother Basant Soren from the state assembly.

ECI has sent its opinion to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais regarding Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators seeking Basan Soren's disqualification from the state assembly under 9A of Representation of People Act, 1951, news agency ANI reported sources as saying.

They said that Governor Bais will now have to take a call on the opinion of the ECI over the JMM MLA's disqualification.

On August 29, the ECI concluded its hearing over the matter on the reference received from Jharkhand Governor. 

Governor Bais received the ECI's opinion on the matter on Friday evening, sources told ANI.

The Jharkhand Governor had sought the Election Commission's opinion on the complaint by BJP MLAs who demanded the disqualification under the Representation of the People Act as it was alleged that Basant Soren was co-owner of a mining firm and had not disclosed it in his election affidavit. The BJP accused him of being a partner in a mining firm and claimed that the state government owes Rs 8 crore to the company.

Jharkhand Trust Vote & Political Crisis

The report on ECI's recommendation comes after Chief Minister Hemant Soren won the trust vote in the State Assembly and accused BJP of creating an atmosphere of civil war and riots with the aim to win polls.

CM Soren said in the Assembly, "The manner in which obstacles are being presented before our Government. Three of our MLAs are in Bengal. The onus of poaching (of MLAs) in Bengal lies on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. They don't cooperate with the Police going to those states to probe this."

"They want to create an atmosphere where two States are pitted against each other. They want to create an atmosphere of civil war and want to fan riots to win polls. As long as there is UPA Government here, such plots will not survive. You will get a befitting political reply," added Jharkhand Chief Minister, as quoted by ANI.

Ahead of the confidence motion in the Jharkhand Assembly, the UPA legislators flew back to Ranchi after spending days in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur as a political crisis emerged after a petition by the BJP sought Soren's disqualification from the Assembly in an office of profit case.

The BJP sought CM Hemant Soren's disqualification from the assembly in an office of profit case and the Election Commission (ECI) sent its decision to Governor Ramesh Bais on August 25.

Though the ECI's decision was not made public, there were reports that the poll panel recommended the Chief Minister's disqualification as an MLA.

(With Agency Inputs)