PRADEEP BHATT Vs. STATE OF UTTARAKHAND

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard learned Counsel for the parties.

(2.) By means of this writ petition, petitioner has prayed to quash the order dtd. 26/9/2024 passed by the District Magistrate, Uttarakashi whereby the said authority has increased the strength of ward members in Block of Zila Panchayat in District Dehradun.

(3.) Learned Senior Advocate for the petitioner, by citing an example, submits that earlier there were five ward members in Block Naugaon where population was 61,358 as per 2011 Census, but now, during the new de-limitation in the said block, strength of ward members has been increased to six from five. It is further contended by learned Senior Counsel, on the strength of Sec. 86(2)(b)(i) of the Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj Act, 2016 (hereinafter to be referred to as 'the Act') that in hill area having population upto 24000, there should be minimum 2 ward members, and in this way, increase in strength of ward members is directly disproportionate to the population of the territorial constituency.