In a setback to the ruling BJP, authorities have disqualified two party councillors from Amreli’s Damnagar Nagarpalika for having three children, which violates the Gujarat Municipalities Act, 1963.
On Monday, the office of Amreli District Collector Ajay Dahiya issued an order disqualifying Khima Kasotiya and Meghna Bokha as councillors of the urban local body with immediate effect. The Collector based the decision on birth certificates submitted by Damnagar Municipal Chief Officer Krupesh Patel. Despite this disqualification, the BJP’s control over the civic body remains unaffected.
After being summoned by the District Collector, the Chief Officer submitted birth certificates showing that Kasotiya and Bokha each had two children when they contested the Damnagar civic body election in 2021. The certificates revealed that Kasotiya, a BJP councillor from Ward No. 2, had a third child, as did Bokha, a BJP councillor from Ward No. 3.
“In light of the application submitted by the applicant, the evidence presented in the case, and the merits and demerits of the situation, it is observed that Respondent No.1 (Khima Kasotiya) and Respondent No.2 (Meghna Bokha) each had two children at the time of the Damnagar municipality election in 2021. Additionally, it is noted that a third child was born to Respondent No.1 on May 10, 2023, and to Respondent No.2 on March 14, 2023,” stated the Collector in his order, emphasizing that this action contravenes Section 11(1)(h) of the Gujarat Municipalities Act.
On August 4, 2005, Section 11(1)(h) was incorporated into the Gujarat Municipalities Act, rendering individuals ineligible to serve as members of a municipality if their third child was born after that date.
The Collector responded to an application filed by a diamond polisher from Damnagar on January 16. Upon receiving the application from Chhagan Bhaksar, the Collector requested records from the Chief Officer and the two corporators. Despite objections raised by the two corporators, who argued that the rule did not apply if a third child was born after election to a municipality, the Collector overruled their objections.
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