18 former Cong corporators debarred from contesting election for 2019 cross-voting

Eighteen former Congress corporators in Bhiwandi, India have been banned from contesting elections for six years for cross-voting in the 2019 mayoral election.

BHIWANDI: Eighteen former Congress corporators of Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) have been debarred from contesting elections for six years, according to an order issued by chief minister Eknath Shinde.

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The Congress corporators had cross-voted for Konkan Vikas Aghadi (KVA), a local party, in the 2019 mayoral election, leading to the victory of KVA candidate Pratibha Vilas Patil.

She had received 49 votes, while the Congress candidate Rishika Pappu Raka got 41 votes.

The Congress, despite having 47 corporators in the 90-member BNCMC, lost the mayoral election, while KVA, which had just four members, won the election with the support of 20 BJP corporators, 18 Congress corporators and seven corporators from smaller allies.

Following the embarrassing defeat, the former Congress mayor Javed Dalvi had filed a petition before the Konkan Divisional Commissioner seeking disqualification of the 18 corporators, who defied the party whip.

Dalvi told HT, “Evidence was put up before the Konkan Divisional Commissioner, who did not rule in my favour. Thereafter, I appealed before the Urban Development Department in January 2022. The UDD has now set aside the order and disqualified the 18 corporators.”

Addressing a press conference, Dalvi further made an allegation against former revenue minister and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat. “Thorat was under pressure from big politicians and did not pay attention to the disqualification matter.”

The UDD order disqualifying the 18 corporators for six years from December 21, 2021, was passed by finding them guilty of violating section 3 1 (b) (for voting contrary to party’s official directive) of the Maharashtra Local Body Authority Members’ Disqualification Act, 1986.