LAXMANBHAI SOMABHIA SENMA Vs. STATE OF GUJARAT

JUDGEMENT

(1.) ALL these petitions challenge the decision of respondent No.2 -Election Officer rejecting the petitioners' nomination forms for elections to Sarpanch of three different gram panchayats.

(2.) THE nomination forms are rejected by the Election Officer on the ground that the nomination forms did not give the correct serial numbers of the candidate/proposer in the voters' lists. The impugned orders were passed by the respective Election Officers on 28.3.2007 which was the date of scrutiny of nomination forms. The present petitions were filed on or about 30.3.2007. The elections of Sarpanch of the respective gram panchayats were thereafter held on 8.4.2007. The candidates who were declared successful at such elections have not been joined as party respondents. The respective -Election Officers have filed their affidavit -in -reply contesting the petitions and justifying their orders.

(3.) AT the hearing of these petitions on 17.4.2007, Mr DB Rana with Mr Satta for the petitoiners, Mr Nilay Anjaria for the State Election Commission and Ms Trusha Patel, learned AGP for the Election Officer were heard.