Cuttack: Orissa high court on Wednesday quashed a notice of a no-confidence motion against Chameli Ojha, the 35-year-old sarpanch of Tikhiri gram panchayat in Kendrapada district’s Mahakalpada block, citing procedural lapses under the Odisha Gram Panchayat Act, 1964.Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra, who heard Ojha’s petition, invalidated the proceedings after taking into account the requirements under Section 24(2)(c) of the Act.“Considering the petition, Justice Mishra held that the rules governing a no-confidence motion against a sarpanch were not followed,” said advocate Sukant Kumar Dalai, who argued on Ojha’s behalf. Hence, the notice issued for the trust vote was not sustainable as per law, he added, quoting the order.Of the 22 ward members of the gram panchayat, 21 had moved a no-confidence motion against Ojha before the Kendrapada sub-collector. Subsequently, a notice was issued on Aug 6, scheduling the vote for Aug 13.Ojha approached the high court on Aug 7, challenging the notice. She alleged that copies of the proposed resolution and requisition had not been supplied along with the notice, as required under Section 24(2)(c) of the Act. Her petition also raised the issue of the stipulated 15-day notice period, arguing that it was necessary to provide her adequate time to prepare for the vote.The petitioner further stated that the notice had been handed over to her father, who received it by putting his thumb impression as he was not sufficiently literate to sign.After concluding the hearing on Aug 11, the court had reserved its judgment. However, it directed that the no-confidence vote scheduled for Aug 13 could proceed, but its outcome must not be made public until the judgment was pronounced.The high court has now nullified the notice. With it, the Aug 13 no-trust vote has also become invalid.