Cuttack, Aug. 1: Orissa High Court today dismissed two PILs challenging the appointment of retired IAS officer Rabi Narayan Senapati as the state co-operative election commissioner.

The division bench of Justice Madan Mohan Das and Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash dismissed the petitions as it felt that there was “no merit” involved in the matter.

Senapati was appointed as state co-operative election commissioner on February 16. Debendranath Sahoo of Cuttack and Biswajit Parida of Jagatsinghpur filed the PILs, challenging his appointment on the ground that vigilance cases had been registered against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The petitioners had also challenged Senapati’s appointment on the ground that he had no experience in the co-operative sector, hence would not be able to hold free and fair election to the co-operative societies.

The court said there was “no illegality” in the appointment of Senapati to the post.

While rejecting the PILs, the court referred to the submissions of the state government that there was no sufficient proof of criminal misconduct or conspiracy and the vigilance cases were based on mere suspicion, which did not make a prima facie case against Senapati.

The state vigilance had registered eight cases against Senapati under the act and referred to the state government for sanction of prosecution against him.

In a counter affidavit, the state government had stated: “The corruption charges made against him (Senapati) were found to be non-sustainable and the government had accordingly decided not to recommend the same to the Centre for sanction of prosecution.”

In the affidavit, the state government had stated: “The honesty, integrity and capability of Senapati cannot be doubted and he was allowed to continue in service up to the agriculture production commissioner-cum-development commissioner. He was an officer of the rank of chief secretary. As the agriculture production commissioner, he was the supervisory officer of the co-operation department and, therefore, involved in the functioning of the co-operation department. All files of the co-operation department were routed through him for orders of the government.”

He also acted as the chairman of the state-level Co-ordination Committee on Crop Insurance and the Implementation and Monitoring Committee for implementation of the restructuring and reform measure for revival of the credit co-operative societies. He had chaired meeting of these committees regularly. Hence, his selection and appointment could not be faulted.”