Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, May 2: Dakshina Kannada district panchayat has reinstated Barimar gram panchayat staff Sharika dismissed three years ago on complaint that she does not respect elected representatives.

The gram panchayat member Harikrishna and others in panchayat’s ordinary meeting in 2017 took a decision to terminate the services of clerk-cum-data entry staff Sharika M upon allegations that she does not respect zilla panchayat members and gram panchayat members. As five members out of eight were in favour of the decision, the then panchayat development officer had directed for termination of the staff.

Gram panchayat staff Sharika submitted an appeal to Dakshina Kannada panchayat CEO questioning the order. The then CEO Dr M R Ravi who conducted investigations invalidated the order of gram panchayat dismissing the staff. Member Harikrishna and others filed a writ in Karnataka High court questioning the order of the CEO and brought a stay order for it. Therefore, there were problems in Barimar gram panchayat without clerk cum data entry operator. While two months were left in the term of gram panchayat member, member Harikrishna and others withdrew the petition and the writ was cancelled. Therefore, the stay order for the order of district panchayat CEO is vacated. The current panchayat development officer Laxman H K has ordered for reinstatement of staff Sharika for duty on directions from current district panchayat. The staff has reported for duty on April 30.