Shinde Sena Corporator Sulekha Chavan Disqualified From Thane Civic Body After ST Certificate Invalidated

Thane September 10: In a setback for Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena party, corporator Sulekha Sudhakar Chavan has been stripped of her position in the Thane Municipal Corporation. The disqualification follows a finding that her Scheduled Tribe (ST) caste certificate was invalid after proper examination. Background: Chavan, wife of the late Sudhakar Chavan, ran unopposed as a Shinde Sena candidate from Ward No. 5.

Her election, previously hailed as uncontested, now faces controversy over the validity of her ST certificate. The Dispute: Chavan submitted an ST certificate for her reserved seat. However, tribal groups contested the document's authenticity, claiming it fraudulent. Protests erupted, with tribal leaders like Lucky Jadhav rallying at the TMC headquarters, demanding her immediate removal and accountability.

Investigation: The matter was sent to the Scheduled Tribe Certificate Verification Committee in Dhule. On June 16, the committee ruled her ST certificate invalid. Legal Consequences: As per election laws, the invalidation of a candidate's caste certificate results in immediate dismissal from office. Notification: Tane Municipal Commissioner Saurabh Rao informed the Konkan Divisional Commissioner of the disqualification and forwarded all relevant documents for further administrative actions.

Consequences: The loss of a corporator from Thane, a key political base for Shinde's party, is a public embarrassment. Opposition parties have seized the opportunity to criticize the ruling alliance's candidate vetting process, casting doubt on their previous claims of an unopposed victory.