BELAGAVI
The Urban Development Department has issued an order cancelling the membership of Belgaum Mayor Mangesh Pawar and municipal council member Jayant Jadhav.
Social activist Sujit Mulgund had filed a complaint in November 2024, demanding that BJP members of the corporation, Jayant Jadhav (Ward No. 23) and Mangesh Pawar (Ward No. 41), have rented shops in the city's food court in the names of their wives and profited from them. Their membership should be cancelled for this illegal act.
Regional Commissioner Sanjay Shettennavara, who conducted the inquiry into the case, had cancelled the membership of both of them. Questioning this, both of them approached the High Court. The High Court, which stayed the order, allowed them to participate in the Mayoral and Deputy Mayoral elections held on March 15. Mangesh Pawar was elected mayor unopposed.
The Dharwad bench of the High Court had ordered the government to investigate the case and take appropriate action. Deepa Cholan, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department, who conducted the inquiry, justified the order of the Regional Commissioner.
Both of them had acquired commercial shops in the names of their wives before being elected as members of the corporation. They were supposed to give them up after being elected. However, both of them violated the Karnataka Municipal Act (KMC), Their membership has been cancelled. the order said.