RAVINDRA JUGRAN Vs. STATE ELECTION COMMISSION

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. M.C. Pant, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. Sanjay Bhatt, learned Standing Counsel for the State Election Commission-respondent no. 1 and Mr. Shobhit Saharia, learned Standing Counsel for the Election Commission of India-respondent no. 2 and, with their consent, the Writ Petition is disposed of at the stage of admission.

(2.) The relief sought for in this Writ Petition is for a mandamus commanding the respondents to consider the petitioner's grievances as highlighted in his representation dated 19.12.2018, and to consider linking the Voter ID Card of every valid adult voter with his Aadhaar Card; treat the Voter ID Card as a valid document for casting vote in every election; and to have a common list for every election either for Parliament, Assembly or for Local Bodies and Panchayats.

(3.) Article 243C, in Part IX of the Constitution of India, relates to the composition of Panchayats, and under Clause (1) thereunder, subject to the provisions of Part IX, the Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions for composition of Panchayats. Article 243C(2) stipulates that all seats in a Panchayat shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the Panchayat area and, for this purpose, each Panchayat area shall be divided into territorial constituencies in such manner that the ratio between the population of each constituency and the number of seats allotted to it shall, so far as practicable, be the same throughout the Panchayat area.