IN THE HIGH COURT OF BENCH

DATED THIS THE 15 TH DAY OF APRIL 2015

BEFORE

THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE B.MANOHAR

W.P.NOS.104134-104135/2015 (LB-RES)

BETWEEN

1. DATTA S/O VITHOBA DESAI, AGE: 40 YEARS, OCC: AGRICULTURIST AND MEMBER OF GRAM PANCHAYATH, JOIDA, R/O: KAMBEGALI, TQ: JOIDA, DIST: UTTARA .

2.SRI.DEVIDAS K. DESAI AGE:42 YEARS, OCC:RYOT AND GRAM PANCHAYAT MEMBER R/O.JOIDA, TQ. JOIDA DIST: . ...PETITIONERS

(BY SRI. SURESH S BHAT, ADVOCATE)

AND

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYT RAJ, REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU-01. 2

2. THE DIVISIONAL COMMISSIONER, BELAGAVI DIVISION, BELAGAVI.

3. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT, . AT: KARWAR-581 301. ... RESPONDENTS

(BY SMT.K.VIDYAVATHI, AGA)

THESE WPs ARE FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED ENDORSEMENT DATED 03.02.2015 ISSUED BY THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, UTTARA KANNADA, KARWAR/3RD RESPONDENT VIDE ANNEXURE-D, AS ILLEGAL AND QUASH THE ORDER DATED 07.03.2015 PASSED BY THE DIVISIONAL COMMISSIONER, BELAGAVI/2ND RESPONDENT VIDE ANNEXURE-H.

THESE WRIT PETITIONS ARE COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING THIS DAY, THIS COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING: ORDER

Learned Government Advocate is directed to take notice for respondents.

2. Petitioner in this writ petition has sought for quashing the endorsement dated 3-2-2015 issued by the Deputy Commissioner and also the order dated 7-3-2015 passed by the Regional 3

Commissioner, Belagavi Sub-Division, Belagavi. Further, the petitioner has also sought for a direction to constitute one more

Mandala Panchayat in Joida village.

3. It is the case of the petitioner that the Deputy

Commissioner, Uttara Kannada issued a draft notification dated

19-01-2015 for incorporation of one more Grama Panchayat i.e.

Gangoda Grama Panchayat including the group of villages

Chapoli (Ka), Gangoda, Hudasa , Nagari, Devulli, Tinaikhanda,

Kumbeli and Kalasaayi. The interested persons had filed objections to the said draft notification. It was brought to the notice of the Government that Hudasa, Nagari and Kalasaayi villages situate 24 Kms away from the Gangoda village. If these villages are included in the proposed Gangoda Grama Panchayat, it will adversely affect the people of those three villages. In the remaining five villages, population is less than 1556. However, as per Section 4(2) of Karnataka Grama Panchayat Act, the minimum population required for establishment of Grama

Panchayat is 2500 and the distance of the villages should be 4 within 10 Kms radius. In the instant case, these three villages situate at a distance of more than 24 Kms. In view of that, the

Government had dropped the proposal of establishment of

Gangoda Grama Panchayat. Being aggrieved by the order passed by the Deputy Commissioner, the petitioner preferred a revision petition before the Regional Commissioner, Belagavi. The

Regional Commissioner after examining the matter in detail and taking into consideration the contention raised by the petitioner found that it is not possible to establish one more Grama

Panchayat i.e. Gangoda Grama Panchayat at Joida village.

Geographically also it is not possible, since the villages situate far away from the Gangoda village and proposed to continue the existing system for further period. I find no infirmity or irregularity in the order passed by the Deputy Commissioner,

Uttara Kannada. It is for the State Government to take decision for administrative convenience.

4. The petitioner has no fundamental right to seek for establishment of any Grama Panchayat. The petitioner has not 5 made out any case to interfere with the order impugned in these writ petitions. Accordingly, these writ petitions are dismissed.

Learned Government Advocate is permitted to file memo of appearance within four weeks from today.

SD/- JUDGE mpk/-*