EC sends its opinion to Jharkhand Governor on disqualification of Hemant Soren's brother from Assembly

Amid the political pandemonium in Jharkhand state, the Election Commission (EC) has sent its opinion to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais regarding the disqualification of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA and Chief Minister Hemant Soren's brother Basant Soren from the state Assembly under 9A of Representation of People Act, 1951, said sources. Now Governor Bais will have to take a call on the opinion of the EC over the JMM MLA's disqualification.

Notably, EC had concluded its hearing over the matter on August 29 on the reference received from Jharkhand Governor.

Sources told ANI that Governor Bais received the EC's opinion on the matter on Friday evening. The Governor had sought the Election Commission's opinion on the complaint of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators seeking disqualification of Basant Soren from the Jharkhand Assembly under Representation of the People Act, for allegedly being co-owner of a mining firm and not disclosing it in his election affidavit. The BJP has accused Basant Soren of being a partner in a mining firm and claimed that the state government owes Rs 8 crore to the company.

Earlier on Thursday, Basant Soren gave an awkward statement over his absence from the state during the recent political crisis.

On being asked about his visit to Delhi at a time of political crisis in Jharkhand, the JMM MLA said, "I had run out of undergarments, so I went to Delhi to purchase them. I get them from there. The political crisis is a normal thing and it keeps happening."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday won the trust vote in the State Assembly and slammed Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) for creating an atmosphere of civil war and riots with the aim to win polls.

Stating that obstacles are being presented before the state government, Soren said in the Assembly, "The manner in which obstacles are being presented before our Government. Three of our MLAs are in Bengal. The onus of poaching (of MLAs) in Bengal lies on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. They don't cooperate with the Police going to those states to probe this."

He further said that the conspiracy of the BJP will not succeed as long as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is here in the state (governing the state).

The BJP has sought the disqualification of Soren as an MLA accusing him of allocating a mining lease to himself while he held the state Mining portfolio in 2021.

In February this year, the BJP submitted a memorandum to the state Governor Ramesh Bais seeking disqualification of Soren from the House under Section 9(A) of the Representation of People's Act.

The Governor had forwarded the BJP complaint to the ECI and the poll panel in May had issued a notice to the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader.