Chameli Ojha Gets Relief as Orissa High Court Declares No-Confidence Proceedings Against Her Illegal

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Cuttack: Chameli Ojha, Sarpanch of Tikhiri Gram Panchayat in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, has received major relief from the Orissa High Court, which declared the no-confidence proceedings initiated against her illegal on Wednesday (October 28).

Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra delivered the verdict while hearing a petition filed by Ojha challenging the no-confidence motion brought against her by ward members of Tikhiri Gram Panchayat under Mahakalapada block in Kendrapara district.

According to reports, Tikhiri Gram Panchayat has 22 ward members, of whom 21 had supported the no-confidence motion against Ojha.

The process for the no-confidence vote was initiated on July 27, while September 13 was subsequently fixed as the date for voting.

However, Ojha approached the High Court, alleging that mandatory legal procedures had not been followed while initiating the no-confidence proceedings.

Under Section 24 of the Odisha Gram Panchayat Act, certain procedural requirements must be fulfilled before conducting a no-confidence vote against a sarpanch.

These include providing the sarpanch with the required notice and relevant documents, including copies of the resolution and requisition, along with the prescribed 15-day notice period.

The provision is intended to give the elected sarpanch sufficient opportunity to present their position and seek the confidence of ward members before the proposed vote.

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Ojha’s counsel argued before the court that she had not been provided with copies of the resolution and requisition relating to the no-confidence motion.

Instead, only a copy of the notice was reportedly handed over to her father, while another was sent through the postal service.

Her counsel contended that the failure to supply the required documents amounted to non-compliance with the statutory procedure.

After hearing arguments concerning the alleged procedural irregularities, the High Court had reserved its judgment.

Pronouncing its verdict on Wednesday, the bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra ruled in favour of Ojha and declared the no-confidence proceedings invalid.

The Chameli Ojha controversy began on June 11 following an altercation at the Mahakalapada BDO office over panchayat development issues. She was subsequently arrested and hospitalised, alleging police assault.

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