Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development Department of the Odisha government has removed Deogarh Municipal Chairperson Shantimanjari Dey from her post under the powers vested on it by Section 53 of the Odisha Municipal Act – 1950.
Shanimanjari Dey, a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has been removed with immediate effect. The government had issued a show cause notice to Shantimanjari Dey on November 11 for allegedly violating the Municipal Acts in a series of cases. She had challenged this notice in the Orissa High Court. However, the High Court had dismissed her petition on December 11 and directed her to file a reply within 7 days. Accordingly, the Municipal Chairperson filed her reply on December 17.
Even after this, the Municipal Chairperson was given an opportunity to be heard in the court of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development within 25 days in view of “natural justice”. However, as the Municipal Chairperson’s reply was not satisfactory, she was removed from his post on January 28.
