LEHNA SINGH Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) PRIOR to the seventh general elections to the various gram panchayats in the State of Punjab held on different dates in the year 1993, the Gram Panchayat of Village Dulichike, Tehsil and District Ferozepur comprised of the Abadi of the five villages namely, (1) Dulichike (2) Kalu Wala (3) Saide Ke, (4) Gratti Rahimeke and (5) Nihali Wala. As per the voters list prepared for the Legislative Assembly in the year 1988, the total number of votes in these villages was as follows : (1) Dulichike - 2420 (2) Kalu Wala - 110 (3) Saide Ke - 206 (4) Gratti Rahimeke - 107 (5) Nihali Wala - 149

(2.) FOR the seventh general elections held in January, 1993 the Punjab Government issued a fresh notification dated 31. 12. 1992 in supersession of its earlier notifications whereby certain new gram panchayats were constituted. Gram Panchayat Dulichike which consisted of the Abadi of the five villages named above earlier, is to comprise of only three villages namely, Dulichike, Kalu Wala and Saide Ke. Village Gratti Rahimeke and Village Nihali Wala were constituted as two independent gram panchayats by the abovesaid notification.

(3.) ON the above allegations, the petitioners have approached this Court for the issue of a writ of certiorari/mandamus for quashing the election of respondents 7 to 13, and for directing the official respondents to hold fresh elections for the Gram Panchayat of Village Dulichike by including the names of all villagers of all the three villages - Dulichike, Kalu Wala and Saide Ke as depicted in the voters list annexure P-1, P-2 and P-3.