1 :- in the High Court of Karnataka at Bengaluru
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-: 1 :- R IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU Dated this the 6TH day of August, 2015 -: PRESENT :- THE HON' BLE MR. SUBHRO KAMAL MUKHERJEE, ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE B.V.NAGARATHNA WRIT APPEAL Nos.2184-2205/2015 (LB-ELE) BETWEEN : 1. SMT. SHOBA P, AGED ABOUT 33 YEARS, W/O DAMODHAR POOJARI, NADUGUDDE MANE, MOOLORU GRAM, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU TALUK-574 145, DAKSHINA KANNADA. 2. SRI. MOHAMMED SADIQ, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, S/O ABDUL REHMAN, NUDUGUDDE MANE, ADDUR VILLAGE AND POST, MANGALURU TALUK, D.K-574 145. ... APPELLANTS (BY SRI: K SUMAN, ADVOCATE.) AND: 1. SMT. MOHINI, AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, -: 2 :- D/O VENKAMMA, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT BADAKARE HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 2. SMT. SHOBHA, AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, W/O SRI. ASHOKA, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT KALLAKALEMBI HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 3. SRI. K. SADASHIVA SHETTY, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS, S/O GOPAL SHETTY, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT GURUPURA PETE HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, MULOOR, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 4. SRI. G.M. UDAYA BHAT, AGED ABOUT 40 YEARS, S/O G.M. ANANTHARAM BHAT, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT MANJE HITTALU HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 5. SMT. CHANDRAVATHI, AGED ABOUT 58 YEARS, W/O SHIVAPPA POOJARI, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT AHALAYAVANA HOUSE, -: 3 :- MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 6. SRI. LOLAKSHA, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, S/O SUNDARA KOTYAN, R/AT CHAMANI HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 7. SMT. UMAI BANU, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, W/O MOHAMMED, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT BANGLE GUDDE HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 8. SMT. GLADYAS QUDRES, AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS, W/O STIFFEN QUDRES, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT PADDAI PADAV HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 9. SRI. DAVOOD, AGED ABOUT 41 YEARS, S/O ABUBAKKAR, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT MATADAGUDE HOUSE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. -: 4 :- 10. SRI. U.P.IBRAHIM, AGED ABOUT 43 YEARS, S/O U.P.QUADER, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT PALLAMANE HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 11. SRI. A.K. MAHAMMED, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, S/O ABDUL QUDER, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT KALLAKALAMBI HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 12. SRI. ASHRAFF .A.K. AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, S/O A.K. MOHAMMED, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT KOTIPAL HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 13. SMT. RAZIA, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, W/O IBRAHIM, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT KELAGINAKERE HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 14. SMT. RUKIA, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS, W/O ABDUL AZIZ, -: 5 :- MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT ADDAPADA HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 15. SRI. T. AHAMED BAVA, AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS, S/O MEYADDI, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT TOKUR HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 16. SMT. YAYALAXMI SUBHASH CHANDRA, AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, W/O SUBHAS CHANDRA, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT PONNELA HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 17. SMT. YASHVANATH V. SHETTY, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, W/O VITTA SHETTY, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT BELLUR GUTTU MANE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 18. SMT. PADMINI S. ANCHAN, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, W/O SADASHIVA, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT NOOYI, HOUSE, -: 6 :- ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 19. SMT. SAMPA, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, W/O SRINIVAS, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT NOOYI, HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 20. SRI. HANEEF. T, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, S/O T.HUSSAIN, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT TARIKARI HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 21. SRI. HARIS CHANDRA, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, S/O KANIJILA, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT KODI MANE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. 22. SMT. BHEEPATHUMMA, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, W/O MOAHAMMED SHARIF, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT NADUGUDDE MANE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA, MANGALURU-574 145. -: 7 :- 23. SMT. SHYAMALA, MAJOR IN AGE, FATHER’S NAME NOT KNOWN, THE PRESCRIBED OFFICER FOR THE ELECTION OF ADHYAKSHA AND UPADHYAKSHA OF GURUPURA GRAM PANCHAYAT, GURUPURA, MANGALURU TALUK, MANGALORE-574 145. 24. GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, GURUPURA, MANGALURU TALUK, REPRESENTED BY PANCHAYAT DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, GURUPURA, MANGALURU TALUK, MANGALORE-574 145. 25. SRI. RAJESH, MAJOR IN AGE, S/O SEENA KOTYAN, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT BELLIBETTU MANE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 26. SMT. SESAMMA, MAJOR IN AGE, W/O ANANDA, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT BARKE MANE, MULOOR VILLAGE, GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 27. SMT. SHANTHI, MAJOR IN AGE, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT MATADAGUDDE HOUSE, MULOOR VILALGE, -: 8 :- GURUPURA POST, MANGALURU-574 145. 28. SRI. A.K. RAYAZ, MAJOR IN AGE, S/O A.K. MOHAMMED, MEMBER OF GURUPURA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, R/AT KOTIPALA HOUSE, ADDUR POST AND VILLAGE, VIA GURUPURA MANGALURU, MANGALURU-574 145. 29. STATE OF KARNATAKA, REP.BY ITS SECRETARY, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYAT RAJ, M S BUILDING, BANGALORE-560 001. ... RESPONDENTS (BY SRI: P.P. HEGDE, ADVOCATE. FOR R1 TO R22, MISS. NILOUFER AKBAR, ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE FOR R29) ****** THESE WRIT APPEALS ARE FILED U/S 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER PASSED IN THE WRIT PETITION Nos.29630-631/2015 & 29635-654/2015 DATED 17/07/2015. THESE APPEALS COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE, DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: -: 9 :- J U D G M E N T On July 13, 2015, the prescriBed officer under the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 [hereinafter, referred to as “the Act”], proposed to hold the meeting for election of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha of Gurupura Grama Panchayat. 2. The prescriBed officer under the Act fixed on July 13, 2015, for election of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha of Gurupura Grama Panchayat. 3. The appellants Before us only filed their nominations for the posts of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha respectively. There was no other nomination coming from any other memBers of the Panchayat. 4. On July 13, 2015, only six memBers of the Grama Panchayat were present in the meeting. The -: 10 :- total memBers of the Grama Panchayat are twenty eight in numBer. The prescriBed officer did not declare the result, But adjourned the meeting for want of quorum. He issued another notice on July 14, 2015 for election for the posts of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha, fixing July 23, 2015 for such meeting. There was a litigation Before this Court, in which this Court directed holding of election to the posts of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha of the Grama Panchayat concerned afresh on July 23, 2015. 5. The appellants were aggrieved and, thus, they have filed these appeals, challenging the said direction of the Hon’Ble Single Judge. 6. Sri K.Suman, learned advocate, strenuously argued that there was no occasion for the Hon’Ble Single Judge to uphold the decision of the prescriBed officer for holding fresh election on July 23, 2015. -: 11 :- 7. He draws our attention to suB-rule (5) of Rule 8 of the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act (Election of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha *of Gram Panchayats) Rules, 1995 [hereinafter, referred to as “the Rules”] and suBmits that when nomination was made By single candidate, it was only proper for the prescriBed authority to declare him to Be elected. He suBmits that there is no concept of quorum in the election of panchayat to Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha in the Rules. He relies upon a decision of the Hon’Ble Single Judge of this Court in K.V.Manjula vs. The Prescribed Officer and Assistant executive Engineer, Zilla Panchayat, Engineering Sub- division, Mulabagalu, Kolar District and another [2014 (6) KLJ 602]. 8. In K.V.Manjula vs. Prescribed Officer (supra), the Hon’Ble Single Judge of this Court held that a conjoint reading of the provisions of Sections 52 and *Corrected By our order dated 06.11.2015 -: 12 :- 53 of the Act made it clear that the provisions therein had no application in the matter of election of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha, as the case may Be, since the government By issuing the said notification dated July 30, 1998, had made separate rules in the matter of conducting election to the post of Adhyaksha and Upadhayksha of a Grama Panchayat. 9. In the aforesaid Background, let us consider the legal position. 10. Sections 45 and 53 of the Act read as under:- “45. Procedure for election of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha on the establishment of Grama Panchayat, etc.- 1[(1) The prescribed officer shall after every general election of members of a Grama Panchayat or on its constitution, reconstitution or establishment under this Act and in any case within one month from the -: 13 :- date of publication of names of the elected members under sub-section (8) of Section 5, [and immediately before the expiry of term of office of Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha] and so often as there arises any casual vacancy in the office of the Adhyaksha or Upadhyaksha, call for a meeting of the Grama Panchayat and preside over it, without right to vote, and in such meeting the Adhyaksha or the Upadhyaksha or both, as the case may be, shall be elected.] (2) Any dispute relating to the validity of the election of a Adhyaksha or Upadhyaksha of Grama Panchayat under this Act shall be decided by the prescribed judicial officer having jurisdiction over the Panchayat area or the major portion of the Panchayat area, whose decision thereon shall be final.” * * * “53.