Soren mining lease case: BJP seeks more time; hearing adjourned for Aug 5

The BJP, which is the petitioner in the case being heard by the Election Commission against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for extending himself a mining lease, sought adjournment of the hearing. Hours later, JMM chief Shibu Soren announced support for NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu in presidential election.

New Delhi: The BJP, which is rallying against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for extending himself a mining lease, sought an adjournment in the hearing by the Election Commission (EC), on Thursday. "The case will now come up for hearing on August 5," a source from the EC told ETV Bharat.

Later in the day, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren announced that his party will support NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu in presidential election. JMM is the senior partner in the state alliance, in which Congress is also part of. Murmu had met Shibu Soren and Hemant Soren earlier and sought their support.

It is learnt Soren's legal team agreed and the EC adjourned Thursday's hearing. The JMM legal counsel was to put forth their arguments in the mine lease case in which the BJP has sought his disqualification as an MLA under the electoral law alleging that the respondent has extended mining lease to himself.

When the Election Commission had commenced hearing in the matter on June 28, the BJP counsel had sought Soren's disqualification under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which deals with "Disqualification for Government contracts, etc."

The BJP as the petitioner in the case had asserted that Soren violated the provision of the election law by extending himself a favour with a government contract while in office. Following a reference from the Jharkhand governor, the poll panel in May issued a notice to the JMM leader under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act as it is alleged that owning the lease violates this law.

Soren's legal team, however, has maintained that Section 9A of the Act does not apply to the case and cited a Supreme Court ruling. While hearing such cases, the EC works as a quasi-judicial body. When the united Opposition held a Press Conference in the national capital regarding the presidential polls, Soren was meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, raising eyebrows within the coalition.