VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, May 2: The Election Commission of India is reported to have sent a notice to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren asking him to explain why the action should not be taken against him for having a mining lease issued in his favour.
According to the media report, the ECI in the notice has said that the CM having obtained the mining lease prima facie violates Section 9A of the People’s Representation Act. Under the act, a government servant can’t undertake business in his name.
The chief minister landed in legal trouble after the BJP raised the issue of him having obtained a stone mining lease at Angara. Hemant Soren also holds the portfolio of the mining department and the BJP claims that this tantamounts to the office of profit and he is liable to be disqualified.
A PIL was filed by Shiv Shankar Sharma and the BJP approached the Governor for action against him. The ECI had directed the Jharkhand chief secretary Sukhdev Singh to submit all documents related to the mining lease.
Deputy Commissioner cum District Magistrate, Ranchi Chhavi Ranjan passed an order granting Letter of Intent for grant of fresh mining lease of stone minor mineral in the name of single applicant Hemant Soren vide order dated 15.06.2021. It is alleged that it was done by overlooking the mandatory requirement of Rule 69 of Jharkhand Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2004 wherein he was under statutory obligation to assess for damage and compensation committed by the earlier mining lessee who was also Hemant Soren.
