VINODKUMAR Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In this petition, the petitioners seek the following reliefs:

(2.) Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and the learned High Court Government Pleader for respondent Nos.1 to 4 and perused the material on record. For the order proposed, notice to respondent No.5 is dispensed with.

(3.) In addition to reiterating the various contentions urged in the petition and referring to the material on record, learned counsel for the petitioners invited my attention to the impugned notification at Annexure-E dtd. 6/11/2024, whereby the calendar of events for the elections to the Membership of the 5th respondent-Panchayat was published by the 4th respondent stipulating that the elections would be conducted on 23/11/2024. In this context, learned counsel pointed out that despite the aforesaid elections scheduled to be conducted on 23/11/2024 in relation to Membership of the 5th respondent-Panchayat, the 4th respondent has issued the impugned election notice/calendar of events dtd. 6/11/2024 vide Annexure-E, calling for a meeting for the purpose of conducting/holding elections to the post of President (Adhyaksha) of the 5th respondent-Panchayat on 14/11/2024 even before the members of the Panchayat are elected pursuant to the elections being conducted on 23/11/2024. It is therefore, submitted that the impugned election notice/calendar or events at Annexure-E dated 06.11.20204 being issued even before conducting of elections to Membership of the 5th respondent-Panchayat, is premature, illegal, arbitrary and contrary to Sec. 45 of the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993 and as such, the same deserves to be quashed.