(1.) IN these 4 writ petitions, petitioners who had delivered their nominations for election to the shishuvinahal grama panchayat in the district of dharwad against four reserved constituencies have sought for a writ of certiorari quashing the order of the respondent at Annexure-F , dated may 28, 1997 rejecting their nominations on the ground that they did not produce the certificates within time and also for a direction to the returning officer to accept their nominations and to declare them as duly elected against those constituencies and for such other reliefs the court deems fit to grant in the circumstances of the case.
(2.) FACTS emerging both from the records and the pleadings are as follows: election to shishuvinahal grama panchayat constituency-i, ii, iii were proposed to be held on June 8, 1997 and accordingly calendar of events Annexure-A was published by the respondent as required under Rule 12 of the Karnataka panchayat RAJ (conduct of elections) rules, 1993 (hereinafter referred to as the rules' ). Fourteen candidates including these four petitioners delivered their nominations as required under Rule 14 (1) of the rules. Eight out of 14 submitted their nominations to contest against three general seats, one each in three divisions. first petitioner and another filed their nominations to contest against the seat reserved for obc-a from constituency-i, petitioner 2 filed nomination to contest against the seat reserved for obc-woman, no other nomination was filed for that seat.
(3.) PETITIONER 3 and another lady filed their nominations as against the seat reserved for scheduled tribe-woman from constituency-ii. petitioner 4 filed her nomination to contest against the seat reserved for scheduled caste-woman in constituency-ill division.