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Ludhiana: Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday quashed a state govt order which had removed Jatinder Pal Rana from the post of Jagraon municipal council (MC) president.

Rana, who belongs to the Congress, was removed from the post on Dec 16, 2023, for allegedly locking the council’s ex- ecutive officer in a room and forcefully distributing apроintment letters among contractual sanitary workers. In the court, Rana’s lawyer, ML Saggar, argued that the act of petitioner in facilitating issuance of appointment letters to contractual safai sewaks (sweepers) and sewermen fell under the terms of the policy decision of Punjab.

He said on Sept 11, 2023, the appointment letters were to be issued in the presence of the local MLA. But when, after sufficient wait, the MLA could not reach the council’s office due to ill health, the executive officer and petitioner had distributed the appointment letters.

It was argued that it was not a case where the petitioner had got appointment letters issued to ineligible persons. He also argued that though the govt acknowledged in written statements that the appointment letters were to be issued in a programme, no details were forthcoming about the date and timing. He argued if the petitioner had confined the executive officer and other staffers beyond 5pm and compelled them to issue letters, executive officer should have immediately brought the matter to the notice of higher-ups, but that was not done. In its order, the court said: “Still further, even if act is considered to be misuse of power, same does not have the gravity of causing any loss to the municipal council or the ex chequer, as it is an undisputed position that safai sewaks and sewermen had been duly selected and they were to join service after issuance of appointment letters. Thus, in any manner, the said act… cannot be termed to be abuse of power, so as to warrant his removal from office.”

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