MP woman sarpanch, who handed over her powers to villager on stamp paper, sacked

Bhopal: The woman sarpanch, who allegedly handed over her rights and duties to a man from her village by signing an "agreement" on a Rs 500 stamp paper, has been removed from the post by the administration in Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district, an official said on Tuesday.

A complaint was received that Kailashi Bai Kachhawa, sarpanch of Daata panchayat under Manasa Janpad, had relinquished her rights and duties as the executive village head in favour of a man named Suresh Garasiya by signing an agreement on a Rs 500 stamp paper, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of District Panchayat Aman Vaishnav told reporters.

After the complaint, a probe was ordered and sarpanch was served a notice last week under section 40 of Panchayati Raj Act, seeking explanation for her act, he said.

Vaishnav said though the sarpanch denied the allegations, the probe found she had purchased the stamp paper used in the agreement online and she indeed signed such a contract. Statements of the witnesses mentioned in the agreement were also recorded.

Kachhawa was removed as Daata village panchayat sarpanch on Monday, he said.

As per the agreement signed on January 24, the sarpanch gave consent to hand over her rights and duties to Garasiya, also a resident of Daata village.

The agreement, which is doing rounds on social media, stated Garasiya will carry out all duties of a sarpanch, besides handling works of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and watershed mission, among others, till the end of Kachhawa's tenure.

She will not intervene and sign documents as directed by Garasiya, it stated.

The document, signed by two witnesses, also stated that the person who violates the agreement would have to pay certain amount as fine (sum not mentioned in the contract).