leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Satyadev Katare on Tuesday urged Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to remove his Cabinet colleague, Narottam Mishra on ‘moral ground’ over his alleged association of ‘paid news’ report during Assembly election in his constituency. Notably, Election Commission of India (ECI) also found Mishra guilty in the case related to paid news. ECI’s special committee which probe the allegation against Mishra found guilty under Section 78 of the People’s Representation Act, which was related to paid news during Assembly elections in his constituency.
Katare said that Mishra himself should step down on moral grounds, but if he fails to do so, the Chief Minister should sack him to maintain ‘sanctity’ of the Government. He stated that anybody who adopted corrupt practices in democratic election process, has no right to remain in the Government. Earlier, Mishra had approached the Supreme Court over the charge against him, however, official sources said that prima facie, the Minister was actually guilty in the case and there were least chances that he would get any relief from the Apex court.
Katare questioned as why the Chief Minister continued to keep Mishra in his Cabinet. Notably, a poll panel decision came in a paid news case against Mishra in the 2008 Assembly elections. Congress leader and former Datia MlA Rajendra Bharti had complained to EC that Mishra used paid news to influence voters, but did not mention this in poll expenses.
On Bharti’s complaint, EC had issued a showcause notice to Mishra on January 15, 2013, stating, “42 news items published in various newspapers between November 8 and November 27, 2008, appear to be advertisements in garb of news”. EC also questioned Mishra as to why he should not be disqualified for his failure to maintain correct account of election expenditure by suppressing expenses towards advertisements in newspapers.
Mishra got a stay from single bench of Gwalior HC, which was later vacated on petitioner Bharti’s intervention. Then Mishra moved an appeal challenging the single bench order before a double bench of Gwalior high court. Mishra again appealed before Apex court for a stay on proceedings of EC which was dismissed by the court in October, 2014. After this, Mishra filed a case before the High Court, which was dismissed on January 23 this year.