Shimla, April 18 -- The Himachal Pradesh High Court has upheld the constitutional validity of provisions under the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act that mandate a six-year disqualification for elected panchyat representatives removed on grounds of false declaration, dismissing a petition challenging the penalty as harsh and disproportionate.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Ranjan Sharma rejected the plea of Basant Lal, a former Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Pangna in Mandi district, who had sought quashing of the Deputy Commissioner's order disqualifying him from contesting Panchayat elections for six years.
The petitioner had also challenged Section 146(2) of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act, 1994...