Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Orissa High Court upheld the disqualification of a sarpanch from Suhagpur gram panchayat in Puri district’s Kakatpur block in a landmark decision that strengthens linguistic and administrative qualifying requirements for grassroots leaders. Kailash Chandra Dehury, who was elected in the 2022 three-tier panchayat elections, is unqualified to serve since he cannot read or write in Odia, the state’s official language, according to a single bench of Justice R K Pattanaik.
The court observed that the ability to read and write in Odia is essential for a sarpanch, given the responsibilities of communicating with villagers and managing official records. It further stated that it is not just a technical requirement but a practical necessity for effective administration. Without the ability to read and write in the state’s official language, a sarpanch would struggle to discharge duties, maintain transparency, and ensure accountability in village-level governance, it added.
The result upheld a previous lower court decision that declared Dehury’s election void, a finding that rival candidate Purusottam Dehury contested. Candidates for sarpanch (or naib-sarpanch) must be able to read and write Odia in order to be eligible, according to Section 11 of the Odisha Gram Panchayat Act, 1964; some provisions also apply to general members. This decision is consistent with prior Orissa High Court rulings. The disqualification of Maheshwar Jena from the position of Bishnupur gram panchayat in Balasore district was also affirmed in December 2025 by Justice Pattanaik, who clarified that the Act requires writing skill in addition to reading capacity.
