Berhampur: Chairperson of Phulbani Municipality in Kandhamal district, Smitarani Mohanty, lost her post on Tuesday after a no confidence motion moved against her was passed in a special meeting of the civic body.
Smitarani Mohanty of BJP had won the chairperson’s election held on Mar 30, 2022. Out of 13 wards under the Phulbani civic body, BJD had won 7, followed by BJP (4) and Independents (2).
A special meeting convened by Kandhamal collector Ashish Ishwar Patil on Tuesday for voting on the no-confidence motion was attended by 11 councillors — 7 of BJD, 2 of BJP and 2 Independents.
“The no-confidence motion was passed in the meeting,” sub-collector S Mahanta, who presided over the meeting, said without elaborating.
Rajendra Padhy, BJD councillor of ward no. 8 who moved the no-confidence motion, said 10 councillors voted in its favour, while one vote was rejected.
Padhy with the support of 10 other councillors, had proposed the no-confidence motion against Smitarani on Apr 10. The collector issued a notice to councillors on Apr 15. Smitarani, however, challenged the notice in Orissa high court. A single-judge bench issued an interim stay order on Apr 22. It quashed the notice on June 28 with a direction to the collector to fix a date for a fresh meeting.
The collector had fixed the date on July 20 and again issued notice to the councillors. Smitarani again challenged the notice in HC, which it dismissed on July 19.
The meeting was not held on July 20, as the additional district magistrate (ADM) who was entrusted to preside over the special meeting, went on leave.
On the same day, the collector issued another notice fixing the special meeting for Tuesday, while asking the Phulbani sub-collector to preside over it.

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