VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, June 14: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has given additional 14 days to the Jharkhand Chief Minister to file his reply on whether or not his membership in the Jharkhand Assembly should be terminated for misusing his office for pecuniary gains. Now under the new schedule, the ECI has asked him to file the reply by June 28.
Today (June 14) was the last for Hemant Soren to file his reply. But he is said to have sought time on the ground that his lawyer who would assist him before the ECI has been affected by the Covid-19.
Earlier on May 30, the ECI extended the time period till June 14 as Hemant Soren sought time to file the reply on the ground of the poor health of his mother Rupi Soren who was under treatment in Hyderabad.
The ECI had sent a notice to 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. The ECI in the notice said that CM having obtained a 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 is tantamount 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 Sukhdeo Singh to submit all documents related to the mining lease.
Deputy Commissioner cum District Magistrate, Ranchi Chhavi Ranjan passed an order granting a 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.
