JERLIN ANTONY AND ORS. Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Under challenge in one of these writ petitions is the exercise undertaken by the State to form a new municipal corporation i.e. Corporation of Kannur, adding a portion of the existing municipality as well as certain existing grama panchayats. The challenge in the other writ petition is against the de - linking of certain portions of an existing panchayat and adding those portions to an existing municipal corporation.

(2.) In WP (C) No. 13479 of 2015, the petitioner is challenging GO (P) No. 146/2015 / LSGD. dated 30/04/2015 (Gazette Notification No. 1055 dated 30/04/2015) by which Thrikkadavoor Grama Panchayat was ordered to be de - linked and added to the existing Kollam Corporation. In WP (C) No. 14873 of 2015, the petitioner is challenging GO (P) No. 150/2015 / LSGD. dated 30/04/2015 by which certain areas of Kannur municipal council and five grama panchayats were ordered to be clubbed to form the municipal corporation of Kannur.

(3.) In WP (C) No. 13479 of 2015, the petitioners are elected members of Thrikkadavoor Grama Panchayat. They are the local residents of the said panchayat. By Ext. P1 notification, the State proposed to add four grama panchayats, including the aforesaid panchayat to the nearest municipal corporations viz., Kollam and Thrissur. According to the petitioners, due to political pressure that proposal was dropped. However, the Government proceeded with the proposal for linking Thrikkadavoor Panchayat and Kollam Corporation. The petitioners point out that the Kollam Corporation and Thrikkadavoor Grama Panchayat are against the said proposal. According to them, before taking the aforesaid decision, the opinions of the grama panchayat and municipal corporations were not taken and the present decision is only on political interest. Therefore, the petitioners are seeking interference of this Court in the matter.