Two sarpanches have been arrested for allegedly producing fake certificates to contest panchayat elections in Rajasthan, with a Minister on Sunday claiming that over 700 candidates resorted to similar act after the state government made the educational qualification mandatory for contesting the rural polls.
“A total of 777 candidates who were elected as sarpanch for zila parishad and panchayat samiti members allegedly submitted fake mark sheets at the time of filing nominations,” Panchayati Raj Minister Surendra Goyal told PTI.
Divisional commissioners are probing remaining complaints and cases would also be registered in those complaints also, if required, he said.
Mr. Goyal said the action against those found guilty will be taken as per the law.
The State government had brought in an ordinance before the panchayat elections imposing a minimum educational qualification of having passed Class VIII for the post of sarpanch and Class X for zila parishad and panchayat samiti members.
Meanwhile, a woman sarpanch, Shimla Devi, was arrested last week for allegedly producing a fake mark sheet of Class VIII to contest panchayat elections in Tonk district.
She was elected as sarpanch of Badoli in Tonk.
“She submitted certificates to prove that she had passed Class VIII from a school in Kota but it turned out to be a fake during investigation, so she was arrested last week,” Tonk SP Deepak Kumar said.
Another woman sarpanch of Pipliya village of Hindoli block in Bundi district, Barjibai, was arrested on Sunday for producing fake degree of Class VIII to contest the election, police said.
The woman sarpanch was produced before the magistrate in Bundi from where she was sent to 14 days of judicial custody, police said. PTI
