TEJ KAUR Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE petitioner, who contested the election of the office of Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat, Village Gaga, Tehsil Lehra, District Sangrur, and was declared elected, having secured 5 votes out of 9, has filed the instant petition for issuing direction to the respondents to notify her name as elected Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat and further for issuing direction to the respondents not to convene another meeting for re-conducting the election of the Sarpanch.

(2.) IN the present case, the Gram Panchayat, Village Gaga consists of 9 Panches. As per Section 11 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act'), vide the notification, 9 seats of Panches have been reserved for different categories. As per notification issued under Section 12 of the Act, the office of Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat has been reserved for women. The election of the Panches of the Gram Panchayat was held on 26.5.2008, in which the petitioner and respondent No. 7 were also elected as Panches.

(3.) AFTER the election, a note was added in the proceeding book by the Presiding Officer that due to weak eye sight of one Panch, one vote has been wrongly casted. Therefore, it has become necessary to postpone the election.