“ Lifafa Itna Chipka Huwa Hai Ki Khul Hi Nahi Raha”( Envelop is so stuck that it is not opening).

This was Governor Ramesh Bais’ reply to a query by media persons about his response to the sealed letter sent to him by the Election Commission of India on the alleged office of-profit case involving CM Hemant Soren. 

Governor Bais had said it last month. Months before that the ECI, in response to his referenced letter of opposition BJP leaders who had alleged that Chief Minister Hemant Soren, had gained stone mines on lease from the state government and thereby indulged in misuse of his authority for personal benefits, had inquired into the allegations and submitted its suggestions to him.

Though he is on record having told media persons that he was taking legal opinion on ECI’s sealed envelope carrying its ‘opinion’and he will make public his decision ‘soon’, Governor Ramesh Bais has preferred not to do so or disclose his stand. Result?

Nobody knows whether CM Hemant Soren will continue to hold the post of CM or leave it. In public, a question remains unanswered is: when this ‘envelop’ will open?

Indeed, the suspense of the ECI’s stand and the Governor’s decision has been rolling in the air for a long.

On its part, JMM leaders had met Governor and had approached ECI to reveal its stand. But the ECI had declined to do so. Now, the JMM General Secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey has written a letter to Governor Ramesh Bais seeking a copy of the ECI’s sealed letter of ‘opinion’ under the Right to Information Act.

Toward this end, the JMM has also submitted Rs 10 Postal Order which was required to get a reply under the RTI Act.

While JharkhandStateNews is enclosing the JMM General Secretary Vinod Kumar Pandey’s letter to his Public Relation Officer, Governor Ramesh Bais flew to Delhi to visit Ujjain where PM Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the first phase of Mahakaleshwar Mandir Corridor in Ujjain on October 11.