UMESH PANDEY Vs. STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE order in this case will also govern the disposal of M. Ps. 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(2.) BY these petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioners have challenged the validity of certain provisions of the M. P. Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1981 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) as amended by the M. P. Panchayat (Sanshodhan) Adhiniyam, 1988 (Act No. 26 of 1988), (hereinafter referred to as the Amending Act) and the Rules framed thereunder.

(3.) BEFORE we proceed to appreciate the contentions advanced on behalf of the petitioners, it will be useful to refer to the relevant provisions of the M. P. Panchayat Act, 1981, as amended by the M. P. Panchayat (Sanshodhan)Adhiniyam, 1988. Section 3 of the Act provides that there shall be established a gram Panchayat for the village or group of villages, a Janpad Panchayat for a block forming part of a district and a Zilla Panchayat for a District. Section 7 of the Act provides that each Gram Panchayat area shall be divided into not less than 10 wards as may be determined by the Collector and that each ward shall be a single ward. Section 11 of the Act, prior to its amendment, provided that every gram Panchayat shall consist of Panchas elected from the wards and Panchas co-opted in the manner prescribed. Section 11 has been amended by the amending Act and now it provides that every Gram Panchayat shall consist of panchas elected from the wards, elected Sarpanchas and Panchas co-opted, if any, as provided by that section. Sub-section (4) of section 1 i of the Act provided for reservation of certain seats of Panchas for persons belonging to Scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes, but there was no provision for reservation of seats for women. By the Amending Act, a provision for reservation of seats for women has been made by sub-section (3) of section 11 of the Act which reads as follows : -