Dhirendra Pandua vs State Of Orissa & Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the High Court affirming the Election Tribunal's ruling under Section 38 of the Orissa Municipal Act, 1950, which disqualified the appellant from holding the office of Councillor and Chairperson due to his status as a leprosy patient under Sections 16(1)(iv) and 17(1)(b). The Court found that the Election Petition was maintainable and not barred by limitation, rejecting the appellant's claims of being fully cured and the relevance of medical certificates. The Court concluded that the findings of the Election Tribunal were not perverse and thus upheld the disqualification.