Cuttack, June 29: Orissa High Court today issued a notice to Athagarh MLA Ramesh Rout on a petition related to an alleged false affidavit filed by him.

The court expected the MLA to appear either in person or through a lawyer within four weeks in connection with allegations that he gave false information while filing his nomination papers for the 2009 elections. The single-judge bench of Justice Indrajit Mohanty issued the notice on a petition filed by Siba Narayan Patnaik, a voter of the Athagarh assembly constituency.

Patnaik had moved the high court after the court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate of Athagarh rejected his petition related to the false affidavit on grounds of locus standi. The SDJM had rejected his petition as the Athagarh sub- collector had filed a complaint case related to the controversial affidavit. In the affidavit, the MLA had allegedly given false information regarding his educational qualification while filing his nomination papers.

The chief election officer, on the basis of an inquiry report submitted by the Cuttack district administration, had issued directions for filing the complaint case.

The inquiry had revealed that there was no evidence available to corroborate Ramesh Rout’s claim while filing his nomination papers that he had studied in Biswanath Bidyapith at Athagarh from 1986 to 1989 and completed Class IX. The finding is supported by the high school headmaster’s statement that there was no student of such name during the period.

Finding a prima facie case of swearing false affidavit against the MLA, the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM), Athagarh, had taken cognisance of the complaint under section 177 of the Indian Penal Code and section 125A of the Representation of Peoples’ Act, 1951.