NAND KISHORE SINGH Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS petition filed as a public interest litigation on the first half is a sermon to the High Court on what exactly is a public interest litigation. The petitioner 'ssubject is the Panchayat Raj. The High Court is fully aware of its functions on matters relating to public interest litigation which in any case engages the most part of the day on any given day at the Patna High Court. But, for the public interest litigation the court has no hesitation in placing on record that the elections to grassroot democracy would not have been possible. The High Court virtually took the State into elections, and this was not the result of a single order but it has to be a laboured exercise to open the door to grass root democracy. The process started two years ago, but local self government (may be without experience) is in place.

(2.) TODAY , in Bihar after a lapse of more than two decades, the Panchayat in rural areas, Nagar Panchayats in transitional areas and municipalities in urban areas have returned. The court is also in the process of seeing the representation of local bodies right up to the State Legislature, at the Legislative Council where there is a void even today. These are matters which never engaged the attention of the petitioner. The rest of the petition reads like a tabloid of criticism in society and politics. The petitioner seems to be dragging the people within his village outside the Panchayat. If he has a problem that there is any irregularity in matters of planning he should be attempting to discuss within the Panchayat.