Following the order of the Dharwad High Court Bench that declared the income/caste certificate of Bagalkot zilla panchayat president Veena Kashappanavar as false, the district administration has initiated the process of cancellation of her membership.
The Bench, on April 4, upheld the petition of BJP leader Shaila Nadagouda and others who had challenged the certificate.
In the zilla panchayat election held in February last, Ms. Kashappanavar had contested on the Congress ticket from Dhannur zilla panchayat of Hungund taluk, claiming that she belonged to OBC (III-B) community. According to sources, the income limit to contest under reserved category (OBC III-B) was agriculture land not more than 21 acres and the contestant should not be an income/commercial tax payee. The petitioners alleged that Ms. Kashappanavar, who is the wife of Congress MLA of Hungund taluk, had used influence to get a forged certificate.
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Based on this, the court found the tahsildar guilty of manipulating documents to favour Ms. Kashappanavar.