The Orissa High Court today gave an interim stay on the operation of a directive of the state municipal director who had in April this year ordered disqualification of five councillors of Dhenkanal Municipal Council.
Issuing notices to the municipal director and Dhenkanal Collector, Justice Biswajit Mohanty has posted the matter for June 21 next.
As many as 18 members of the 23 member-council had approached the High Court challenging the order of the municipal director who had apparently taken the decision following a report by the district Collector. The members were disqualified for not attending four consecutive monthly council meetings.
The petitioners have also challenged the order of the district Collector for deferring a no-confidence motion brought against the Council chairman Indramani Behera, which was scheduled to be held on April 21 last. At least ten Congress councillors had given the notice for the no-trust motion against Behera of BJD.
