SATYAWAN ANANTA PADWALE Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith.

(2.) Challenge in the present petition is to the legality and validity of the order dtd. 27/3/2025 passed by the Collector, Palghar in a proceeding initiated under Sec. 7 of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959 (hereinafter referred to as "the 1959 Act"). By the said order, the Collector allowed the application filed by respondent No.3 and declared the petitioner - who was elected as Sarpanch of the Bilawali Gram Panchayat - disqualified to continue as Sarpanch on the ground of failure to conduct any meeting for a continuous period of 90 days during the financial year 2024-2025.

(3.) The factual background of the case is not much in dispute and can be briefly stated thus: the Gram Panchayat of village Bilawali, situated in Taluka Wada, District Palghar, is notified as a Scheduled Area under the Presidential Notification dtd. 2/12/1986 issued under Article 244(1) read with the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of India. It is not disputed that the petitioner belongs to the Varli tribe, which is recognized as a Scheduled Tribe under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order.