By Arun Pratap Singh
Nainital, 27 Mar: The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government to appoint outgoing Chamoli District Panchayat President Rajni Bhandari as administrator and submit a compliance report by 1 April. The directive was issued today during a hearing of a special appeal filed by Rajni Bhandari against the government’s decision not to appoint her as administrator.
In her appeal, Bhandari argued that, while the tenure of district panchayats has ended, the government has appointed all outgoing presidents as administrators except her. In response, the government cited a court case in the High Court pending in her case as the reason for her exclusion. In her counter arguments, Bhandari contended that she had been reinstated following a High Court order, which remains in effect, and demanded her rightful appointment as administrator.
Taking a firm stand in this regard, the High Court instructed the government to act promptly and submit its report. The next hearing is scheduled for 1 April.
It may be recalled that Bhandari’s ouster from the post of District Panchayat President had stemmed from allegations of irregularities in tenders related to development works on the Nanda Rajjat Yatra route in 2012-13. The Panchayati Raj Department had acted on a complaint by former block chief Nandan Singh Bisht, accusing her of mismanagement and misuse of funds. The government claimed that she failed to fulfil her responsibilities during that period.
Bhandari challenged her removal in court, which had stayed the order and reinstated her. However, amidst the Joshimath disaster, the government acted on the decade-old case and removed her again, citing irregularities in 30 tender processes.
A PIL filed by Chamoli resident Prithvi Singh Negi had also accused Bhandari of large-scale fraud in the Nanda Rajjat Yatra route construction. The PIL alleged that she misused her position, leading to significant financial losses. An investigation confirmed the irregularities.
Rajni Bhandari is wife of former Congress MLA Rajendra Bhandari from Badrinath, who has since joined the BJP but lost the by-election to Congress candidate Lakhpat Singh Butola.
