The stage is set for a pivotal councillor election in Ward 7 of Bairasia Nagar Palika, Bhopal as preparations kick off following the dramatic disqualification of former councillor Shabana Shoaib Kureshi. Kureshi, ousted three months ago for submitting a fraudulent caste certificate, has left the ward poised for a fresh electoral contest. The election process begins with a training session for master trainers on June 30, 2025, at 11:30 am in the Janpad Panchayat Bairasia meeting hall. Led by Dr Bawan Sayke and Dr Shoaib Khan, the session will blend theoretical insights with hands-on practice, focusing on Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) operations to ensure a seamless voting process. Kureshi’s disqualification, ordered by Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh in March 2025, stemmed from a petition by Parveen, a rival candidate defeated in the prior election.

 

An investigation by the TT Nagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate confirmed Kureshi’s Other Backward Class (OBC) certificate was forged, leading to her removal under Section 41(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Nagar Palika Act, 1961. The ruling also bars her from contesting municipal elections for six years, per Section 41(3). Ward-7, reserved for OBC women, previously saw a heated race with candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and an independent. Kureshi, representing the NCP, clinched victory, only for her tenure to end abruptly amid the certificate scandal. As Bairasia Nagar Palika prepares for this high-stakes election, residents of Ward 7 await the chance to elect a new voice for their community. With training underway, the electoral machinery is in motion, promising a closely watched contest in the days ahead.