Supreme Court Reinstates Woman Sarpanch in Chhattisgarh, Orders Inquiry into Harassment by Officials
Last Updated on November 15, 2024 by Athi Venkatesh
The Supreme Court today reinstated a woman Sarpanch in Chhattisgarh, overturning her removal from office over alleged delays in construction projects. The Court also imposed a Rs. 1 lakh fine on the state government and directed an inquiry into the officials responsible for her harassment.
A bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan criticized the state for unjustly removing the young woman, who had been elected to serve her village in the Sajbahar Gram Panchayat. Justice Kant observed that construction delays often result from factors outside a Sarpanch’s control, like material supply and weather conditions. The Court emphasized that targeting her based on such delays was “high-handed” and baseless.
The appellant, a 27-year-old woman, was elected in 2020. She faced accusations of delay on ten construction projects after a notice demanding completion within three months reached her in March 2023. Despite responding to the notice and explaining the circumstances, she was removed in January 2024. Her plea to the High Court was dismissed, prompting her appeal to the Supreme Court.
Justice Kant pointed out that officials, lacking technical knowledge of construction timelines, wrongfully blamed her. He remarked that officials’ actions forced an elected representative to struggle for basic cooperation instead of being supported in development efforts.
The Supreme Court ordered the Chief Secretary to release the compensation within four weeks and investigate those responsible for her removal. The Court allowed the state to recover the compensation from responsible officials after a fair inquiry.
This case highlights persistent biases against women in local governance, as observed by the Court, which has previously granted relief to another woman Sarpanch removed on technical grounds. The Court stressed that removing an elected leader, particularly a woman in a rural setting, should not be taken lightly.
