JASBIR SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Tersenessly, the facte, cachinnating in the commencement, relevant for disposal of the present writ petition and emanating from the record, are that in the wake of general Gram Panchayat election held in the month of June, 2008, petitioner-Jasbir Singh was elected as a Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat of village Dadwindi, District Kapurthala, in view of the provisions of The Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (hereinafter to be referred as ''the Act''). Since then, he was stated to have been working for the welfare of the Gram Panchayat. But, now few members Panchayat wanted to grab the office of the Sarpanch illegally and started obstructing the smooth functioning of the Gram Panchayat. They did not participate in the meeting on one pretext or the other.

(2.) According to the petitioner that, on 02.11.2010, his rival group made a complaint(Annexure P-l), informing the District Development and Panchayat Officer-respondent No. 2(for, brevity ''the DDPO'') that they are not supporting the Sarpanch. Thereafter, the DDPO gave a notice(Annexure P-2) under Section 200 of the Act, but six Panches did not sign the same. In pursuance of the notice dated 18.01.2011 issued by the DDPO, a meeting of the Gram Panchayat was held on 25.01.2011, but again six Panches did not come present and no agenda could be discussed for want of quorum. Accordingly, The Block Development and Panchayat Officer-respondent No. (for short ''the BDPO'') reported the matter to the DDPO and recommended for appointment of the Administrator of the Gram Panchayat to undertake the development works.

(3.) Taking, cognizance of the report of the BDPO, the DDPO again issued notice to the Sarpanch and all members Panchayat of the indicated Gram Panchayat and directed them to initiate the development works within a period of two weeks, but in vain. All the members Panchayat did not repeatedly cooperate with the petitioner-Sarpanch. As, the quorum was not complete, therefore, no effective meetings were held for the development of the village.