HIGH COURT SETS ASIDE KDMC CORPORATOR’S DISQUALIFICATION

KALYAN: The Bombay high court has given orders to set aside the disqualification of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) corporator Mallesh Shetty.

KDMC commissioner E Ravendiran had disqualified Shetty on March 24, alleging his involvement in illegal construction. It asked the KDMC commissioner to set aside the disqualification and allow the Shiv Sena corporator to attend the upcoming general body meeting of the civic body.

Shetty, who represents Lokgram in Kalyan (East), was disqualified over illegal construction.

After he was disqualified, Shetty filed a writ petition in the high court. The court, on Wednesday, set aside the order and allowed Shetty to attend civic body meetings, after it examined the validity and legality of civic chief order.

“We are yet to receive the copy of the order. We will conduct a study and take further course of action,” said Ravendiran.

The court’s order said Shetty be allowed to participate in the general body meeting of the civic body on April 11.

“I had challenged the civic commissioner’s order. Since I am an elected corporator, a civic commissioner cannot disqualify me directly. Only the government can do so. The civic commissioner did not conduct a proper inquiry before passing the order,” said Shetty.

A KDMC official, who did not wish to be named, said: “Once it is proved that a corporator is guilty, he is disqualified. There is no need for a formal notice to be served. The inquiry found Shetty guilty of illegal construction.”

The civic body had disqualified Congress leader Sachin Pote from contesting the KDMC polls in November last year.

Out of the 120 elected corporators, the civic body has listed 57 names for their involvement in illegal construction.

The civic body had sent a notice to Shetty before the civic elections but Shetty moved the court. He was elected from ward number 42 and defeated BJP candidate Narendra Gupte.