Court sets aside Berhampur mayor's election as corporator

A court here today set aside the election of K Madhavi, Mayor of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC), as a corporator for submitting false affidavit about her marital status before the poll.
District and Sessions Court judge M R Das pronounced the judgement saying that Madhavi violated provisions of the Odisha Municipal Corporation Act.
According to the Act, a person having two spouses cannot contest the urban local body election, the petitioner's counsel Jagat Mohan Patnaik said.
Madhvi, a BJD leader, was elected as a corporator in 2013 and later was elected as the Mayor of the BeMC.
Former BeMC mayor and BJP leader Siba Shankar Das moved the court in 2014 and submitted that Madhavi married for a second time without divorcing her first husband.

Madhavi's counsel Kishore Bisoi said they would appeal in the Orissa High Court. Madhavi was not immediately available for comment.
BJP's Ganjam district unit president Kanhu Charan Pati said the judgement is moral victory for the saffron party.