New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the reinstatement of a woman sarpanch in Chhattisgarh who was removed from her position over a delay in the completion of construction work.

Taking strong exception to the state action, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the Chhattisgarh government to pay the petitioner, Sonam Lakra, a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the harassment meted out to her.

The apex court castigated the "high handedness" of authorities in removing the petitioner from her post and said that the state government should have admired her commitment towards the upliftment of her village.

Reinstating the petitioner in her position, it said that she would continue in her office for the remaining term.

Earlier in February this year, the Chhattisgarh High Court had dismissed a writ petition filed by Lakra on the ground that there existed an "efficacious alternative remedy" and she cannot be permitted to bypass the statutory alternative remedy to prefer an appeal before the Collector.

After several complaints were received with regard to irregularities in the completion of the construction work, a show-cause notice was issued by the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue). In her reply, Lakra stated that work was sanctioned in December 2022 but the sanction order was received by her from the Gram Panchayat Secretary in March 2023, and therefore, it was not possible to complete the work in a short span of time.

But, in January this year, Lakra was removed from the office of Sarpanch as she could not complete the work. Before the high court, she contended that she was removed only on account of political pressure and that the impugned order was unreasonable, unauthorised, illegal, and hit by the postulates of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. However, the Chhattisgarh HC had said that there was no violation of the principles of natural justice and asked her to avail the statutory remedy available to her.