MP: Panchayat secretary suspended for issuing birth certificate without proof

Chhatarpur (MP), Nov 5 (PTI) A panchayat secretary in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh has been suspended for allegedly issuing a birth certificate without proof and necessary documents, an official said on Wednesday.

He said the case concerns Mahatoul village, where panchayat secretary Premchand Raikwar issued a birth certificate to a person named Anjum Khan, despite claiming that there is not a single Muslim family in the village.

District Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Namah Shivay Arajaria said in an order that Raikwar has been suspended with immediate effect after an investigation into a complaint about issuing a false birth certificate.

A panchayat secretary is a government official who manages the administrative tasks of a gram panchayat (village council).

Citing the probe, Arajaria said Raikwar had issued the birth certificate to Khan, a resident of Geeta Nagar in Indore, on September 24 this year.

He said Khan was born on February 11, 2008, and a birth certificate older than one year (after February 11, 2009) cannot be issued without the authorisation of a competent authority.

He added, “Also, there is not a single Muslim family in village Mahatoul. The birth certificate was issued without any evidence or necessary documents.” The CEO stated that Raikwar’s action falls under the category of misconduct under the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Service Conduct Rules, 1998.

“Suspension action has been taken against him under Rule 4(1)(a) of the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1999.” PTI COR BNS MAS NR