HARDEV SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Whether the impugned notifications, whereby new Gram Sabha(s) have been carved out from the existing Gram Sabha areas, are contrary to the true spirit of Section 3 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, is the important question of law, which falls for consideration of this Court, in this batch of nine writ petitions.

(2.) This order proposes to decide these nine writ petitions together and particulars whereof are as follows: CWP No.3704 of 2013 (Hardev Singh and others v. State of Punjab and others), CWP No.7494 of 2013 (Rajwinder Singh@ Raju v. State of Punjab and others), CWP No.5165 of 2013 (Surjit Singh v. State of Punjab and others), CWP No.5307 of 2013 (Jasbir Singh and another v. State of Punjab and others) CWP No.5767 of 2013 (Lakhwinder Singh v. State of Punjab and others), CWP No.5769 of 2013 (Daljit Singh Padda v. State of Punjab and others), CWP No.424 of 2013 Gram Panchayat Chak Nidhana v. State of Punjab and others), CWP No.5064 of 2013 (Gram Panchayat Ahmad Dhandi v. State of Punjab and others and CWP No.5065 of 2013 (Gurnam Singh v. The Secretary to Government, Department of Rural Development and Panchayat, Punjab and others).

(3.) Since the issue involved in all these writ petitions is the same, that is carving out of new Gram Sabha from the existing Gram Sabha, in alleged violation of Section 3 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 ('the Act of 1994' for short), these writ petitions are being decided by this common order. However, for the facility of reference, facts are being culled out from CWP No.3704 of 2013.