LAKHBIR SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS order shall dispose of Civil Writ Petition Nos. 693 3 and 6950 of 2012 as common questions of law and facts are involved in these cases.

(2.) , The petitioners have sought a writ of mandamus for directing the respondents to ensure delimitation of Wards of the Municipal Corporation as per Census 2011 before publication of the Notification under Section 35 of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994 of the election schedule.

(3.) IT is pleaded that on the basis of the Census of the year 2001, the number of the elected councillors for a Corporation were determined as 65 as notified on 29.03.2004. The reservations were also made in terms of Section 6 of the Act. But now there is increase in the population as per Census concluded in the year 2011, which necessitates the increase of wards. The notification dated 30.9.2006 contemplates that if the population is up to 15 lakhs, the number of elected councillors shall be 75. Since the population of Amritsar is said to be 12,24,616 as per the 2011 Census, therefore, the elections can be held only after redetermining the number of wards. The petitioners have also challenged the manner of reservation of the seats of the women and Scheduled Cases in the present petitions.