By PTI
NEW DELHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been given more time by the Election Commission to appear before it in a mining lease allotment matter after the JMM leader cited the unavailability of his counsel.
The personal hearing where Soren was to be present either in person or through his counsel, was slated for 3 pm on Tuesday (June 14).
Sources in the poll panel said since this is for the second time a personal hearing in his case has been postponed, the fresh date of June 28 has been granted with the condition that it will be the last opportunity for such a hearing.
“Failing this, the Commission will proceed on the basis of written submissions, if any, filed by him before the next date of hearing, which is June 28,” a functionary said.
Soren was earlier asked to appear before the EC on May 31 but he had sought more time and his appearance was rescheduled for June 14.
Soren had again sought more time to appear before the EC citing the unavailability of his counsel due to medical reasons.
In May, the poll panel had issued a notice to Soren under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act which deals with the disqualification of a lawmaker for government contracts.
“A person shall be disqualified if, and for so long as, there subsists a contract entered into by him in the course of his trade or business with the appropriate government for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any works undertaken by, that government,” the section states.
The panel, prima facie, has found that he violated provisions of Section 9A. After going through his response, the EC had asked Soren to appear before it. While hearing such cases, the EC functions like a quasi-judicial body.
Recently, Hemant Soren’s brother Basant Soren appeared before the EC through his counsel after he was served notice under section 9A. His counsel had claimed that the petition filed against the JMM MLA seeking his disqualification over co-owning a mining firm was not maintainable and had questioned the Election Commission’s jurisdiction in hearing the matter.
