HC disqualifies Sundergarh MLA Jogesh Singh for submitting false affidavit

Bhubaneswar: In a major setback to Congress, the Orissa High Court on Tuesday declared Sundargarh MLA Jogesh Kumar Singh’s election null and void on grounds of submitting fake caste certificate while filing his nomination for the 2014 Assembly Elections.

Two petitions were submitted against Congress MLA Jogesh Kumar Singh pertaining to submission of false caste certificate by the legislator.

Defeated BJP candidate Sahadev Xaxa and Ajay Patel, a voter of the constituency, had filed the petitions in the HC seeking disqualification of the MLA.

The Sundargarh Assembly seat is reserved for scheduled tribe candidates in accordance with the provisions of Article 332 of Constitution of India and as per Section 5 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

But, the petitions had alleged that Singh had submitted a fake caste certificate along with his nomination papers during the Assembly election in 2014.

Earlier, the HC also slapped fines for not complying with the court orders.

It was alleged that Singh managed to get a false scheduled tribe certificate showing his caste as Bhuyan solely on the basis of land Patta and submitted such false caste certificate along with his nomination paper to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Meanwhile, Singh’s counsel Pitambar Acharya said that the matter will be challenged in the Supreme Court.

“I am yet to see the order of the Orissa High Court. I will move the Supreme Court after consulting with my lawyer. I have never submitted a false affidavit. My ancestors are tribal and by default, I belong to the tribal community,” said Jogesh Singh.