EC sends its recommendation in Soren office of profit case to Governor 

The Election Commission on August 25, 2022 sent its recommendation in the office of profit complaint against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais, who had referred the matter to the EC earlier this year.

An EC official said the Commission’s recommendation in the case had been sent to the Governor under sealed cover. The matter was referred to the EC after the BJP complained to the Governor about Mr. Soren allocating a mining lease to himself while holding the portfolio of Mines Minister in 2021. The EC was asked to examine the matter and recommend whether Mr. Soren should be disqualified or not.

Responding to reports of the EC’s decision, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement: “The Chief Minister is apprised of several media reports about ECI sending a report to Hon’ble Governor of Jharkhand ‘apparently recommending his disqualification as a MLA’. No communication in this regard has been received by CMO from either ECI or Governor.”

“It apparently seems that BJP leaders including a BJP MP and his puppet journalists have themselves drafted the ECI report, which is otherwise a sealed cover report. This blatant misuse of Constitutional authorities and public agencies and its complete takeover by BJP HQ in Deendayal Upadhyaya Marg in this shameful manner is unseen in Indian democracy,” Mr. Soren said via the statement.