LAWS(P&H)-1997-3-24

PRAN NATH BHATIA` Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

Decided On March 21, 1997
PRAN NATH BHATIA Appellant
V/S
STATE OF PUNJAB Respondents

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This order shall dispose of Civil Writ Petitions 2992, 3050 and 3689 of 1997, as common questions of law and fact are involved in all these petitions.

(2.) Facts, as stated below, have been taken from Civil Writ Petition 3050 of 1997 :-Petitioner No. 1 who was a Municipal Councillor of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, and petitioners 2 and 3 who are members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from Ludhiana, belonging to the Bhartiya Janta Party, have filed this petition for issuance of a writ in the nature of certiorari quashing the notification, Annexure P-3, published in the Punjab Government (Extra ordinary) Gazette dated 12l1-1996, delimiting the wards of the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, without considering their objections, being illegal and arbitrary and for issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to consider their objections and also for any other writ, order or direction which this Court may deem fit in the circumstances of the case.

(3.) Elections to the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana (hereinafter referred to as 'the Corporation') were held in 1991 for a term of five years. At that time, there were 50 wards. Petitioners 1 and 2 represented wards Nos. 37 and 24, respectively, in the Corporation, Ludhiana Municipal Area had been earlier divided into 50 wards; namely, Ludhiana (East) consisting of 12 Wards, Ludhiana (West) consisting of 13 Wards, Ludhiana (North) consisting of 13 wards and Ludhiana (South) consisting of 12 wards.