Hyderabad: Rangareddy district collector C. Narayana Reddy has suspended V. Shanthamma, sarpanch of Mokila thanda in Shankarpally mandal, for six months, after her son allegedly destroyed the local panchayat property just three days after she took over last year. This is the first such suspension after the gram panchayat elections last year.
The action followed a police case that Shanthamma’s son Vartha Babu Naik had allegedly destroyed public toilets, a portion of compound wall and the gate of the gram panchayat office and greenery. He was reportedly accompanied by his associates.
The incident occurred on December 25 last, three days after Shanthamma took over as sarpanch on December 22. The collectorate served notice to Shanthamma on December 29. Based on the reply the suspension order was released on January 5.
According to a source in the Rangareddy collectorate, Babu had a land-related issue with the former sarpanch. “In case of a title dispute or any other matter, there is a procedure. Enforcement activity can not be done by sarpanch or her family,” said an official from the collectorate.
The suspension order mentioned that the collectorate had served Shanthamma a showcause notice seeking details regarding the incident but the reply was not satisfactory.
The Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 contains a provision empowering district collectors to suspend a sarpanch and the action was taken under two provisions: Sections 37(5) for abusing power, refusing to carry out government orders, or acting against the interests of the gram panchayat; and 96(2) which prohibits any person damaging trees belonging to a gram panchayat or located on public property.
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