Kerala - Kochi   

High Court quashes government order

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday quashed the government order restoring membership in the Vakathanam panchayat in Kottayam to Joseph Chacko who had been disqualified.

Justice Pius Kuriakose held that the government was not justified in passing the order.

The court delivered the judgement while allowing a writ petition filed by the president of the panchayat.

According to the president, the CPI (M) member was disqualified for not attending the standing committee meetings of the panchayat council for three consecutive months.

The president contended that instead of filing an appeal before the State Election Commission, he filed a petition before the State government and obtained an order.

In the meantime, a by-election was declared to the seat from ward no.13 which fell vacant due to the disqualification. The court also directed Mr. Chacko to file a petition before the State Election Commission which in turn should dispose of the petition within three months.

The court directed the Election Commission to stop the by-election process subject to the decision to be taken on Mr. Chacko’s petition.

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