High Court
Case Details
Neutral Citation No. - 2025:AHC:40240-DB Court No. - 3 Case :- WRIT - C No. - 7700 of 2025 Petitioner :- Vimlesh Respondent :- The State Of U.P. And 2 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Kamal Srivastava,Kaushlendra Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C. Hon'ble Anjani Kumar Mishra,J. Hon'ble Jayant Banerji,J. 1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Standing Counsel. 2. It appears that the District Magistrate on receipt of notice of no confidence against the petitioner fixed a date for consideration of the
Decision
motion. The challenge in the writ petition to the proposed meeting is on the ground that the notice fixing date for consideration of no confidence motion did not comply with the mandatory provisions of Section 15 (3) (ii) of U.P. Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961 inasmuch as fifteen days notice has not been provided. 3. On the previous occasion, learned Standing Counsel was directed to obtain instructions. He has submitted that the contention of the petitioner in the writ petition is correct. However, the meeting which had been fixed for 19.3.2025 was in fact not held and that fresh notices have been issued fixing 9.4.2025 as the date for consideration of the motion of no confidence. 4. It is pertinent to mention here that when the matter was previously listed on 18.3.2025, the following order was passed:- "The supplementary affidavit filed today in Court is taken on record. Put up day after tomorrow as fresh. Meanwhile, learned Standing Counsel is directed to obtain instructions and produce original record pertaining to the notice of no confidence and consequent notice fixing a date for consideration of motion of no confidence." 5. Today, the copy of the instructions received by the learned Standing Counsel and produced for perusal of the Court is taken on record. However, it is surprising that despite a categorical order of this Court, the original record has not been produced. The one page instructions signed by the District Magistrate, Jaunpur and the District Panchayat Raj Officer, Jaunpur dated 19.3.2025 reads as under:- “ मा० उ्ሴ न्यायालय , इलाहाबाद में सि(cid:16)वि(cid:18)ल विम(cid:16) रि(cid:20)ट याचि(cid:23)का (cid:16)ंख्या ( (cid:16)ी 0) 7700/2025 वि(cid:18)मलेश बनाम स्टेट स्टेट ऑफ उ०्ቚ० (cid:18) अन्य तथ्यात्मक आख्या। मा० उ्ሴ न्यायालय, इलाहाबाद में सि(cid:16)वि(cid:18)ल विम(cid:16) रि(cid:20)ट याचि(cid:23)का (cid:16)ंख्या ((cid:16)ी०) (cid:16)ुन(cid:18)ाई के 7700/2025 वि(cid:18)मलेश बनाम स्टेट ऑफ उ०्ቚ० (cid:18) अन्य में मा० उ्ሴ न्यायालय ्ቛा(cid:20)ा (cid:16)ुन(cid:18)ाई प्ቐात पारि(cid:20)त आदेश विदनांक 18.03.2025 के अनुपालन में में अ(cid:18)गत क(cid:20)ाना है विक ्ቦीमती नीलम पाल पत्नी अजय ्ቚताप पाल, ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्य, (cid:18)ा्ቑ5 (cid:16)ंख्या-37 ्ቛा(cid:20)ा ्ቦीमती वि(cid:18)मलेश याद(cid:18) पत्नी ओम ्ቚकाश (मु्ቐा) ्ቚमुख ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत धमा5पु(cid:20), जौनपु(cid:20) के वि(cid:18)रू्ቍ आधे (cid:16)े अचिधक विन(cid:18)ा5चि(cid:23)त (cid:16)दस्यों के हस्ता्ቌ(cid:20) (cid:18) विनशानी अंगूठा (cid:16)विहत मय शपथ प्ቔ अवि(cid:18)्ቫा(cid:16) ्ቚस्ता(cid:18) की नोविट(cid:16) विदनांक 20.02.2025 के ्ቅम में आदेश (cid:16)ंख्या 6730 विदनांक 22.02.2025 (छाया्ቚचित (cid:16)ंल्ሿ ) ्ቛा(cid:20)ा उ्ቈ(cid:20) ्ቚदेश ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत तथा सिजला पं(cid:23)ायत अचिधविनयम 1961, (cid:16)ंशोचिधत अचिधविनयम 1994 तथा उ्ቈ(cid:20) ्ቚदेश पं(cid:23)ायत वि(cid:18)चिध (cid:16)ंशोधन अध्यादेश 2007 की धा(cid:20)ा 15 (3) (1) में वि(cid:18)विहत अचिधका(cid:20)ों का ्ቚयोग क(cid:20)ते हुए उ्ሹ अवि(cid:18)्ቫा(cid:16) ्ቚस्ता(cid:18) के वि(cid:18)(cid:23)ा(cid:20)ाथ5 विदनांक 19.03.2025 को ्ቚातः 11:00 बजे ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत धमा5पु(cid:20) काया5लय प(cid:20) बैठक विनधा5रि(cid:20)त क(cid:20)ते हुये बैठक की अध्य्ቌता हेतु उप सिजलाचिधका(cid:20)ी, (cid:16)द(cid:20), जौनपु(cid:20) को नाविमत क(cid:20)ने के (cid:16)ाथ-(cid:16)ाथ ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत की बैठक हेतु विनधा5रि(cid:20)त चितथिथ, (cid:16)मय (cid:18) स्थान प(cid:20) (cid:16)मस्त ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को उपቝኌस्थत होने हेतु विदनांक 22.02.2025 (छाया्ቚचित (cid:16)ंल्ሿ) को पृथक-पृथक नोविट(cid:16) विनग5त क(cid:20)ते हुये पंजीकृ त ्ቑाक ((cid:20)(cid:16)ीद छाया्ቚचित (cid:16)ंल्ሿ) के माध्यम (cid:16)े (cid:16)ूचि(cid:23)त विकया गया। बैठक हेतु विनधा5रि(cid:20)त चितथिथ 19.03.2025 को उपसिजलाचिधका(cid:20)ी, (cid:16)द(cid:20), जौनपु(cid:20) ्ቛा(cid:20)ा अपने प्ቔ (cid:16)ंख्या 614 विदनांक 19.03.2025 (छाया्ቚचित (cid:16)ंल्ሿ) के माध्यम (cid:16)े स्(cid:18)यं का स्(cid:18)ास्थ्य ख(cid:20)ाब होने, कु छ ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को नोविट(cid:16) विनधा5रि(cid:20)त (cid:16)मय में ्ቚा् न होने तथा ्ቚवि्ቅयात्मक ्ቔुविट होने की (cid:16)म्भा(cid:18)ना के दृविSगत उ्ቈ(cid:20) ्ቚदेश ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत तथा सिजला पं(cid:23)ायत अचिधविनयम 1961 की धा(cid:20)ा 15 की उपधा(cid:20)ा 4 (क) (cid:18) 4 (ख) के अन्तग5त ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत की बैठक विदनांक 19.03.2025 स्थविगत क(cid:20)ते हुये अविTम बैठक विदनांक 09.04.2025 को ्ቚातः 11:00 बजे ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत धमा5पु(cid:20) काया5लय प(cid:20) विनधा5रि(cid:20)त विकये जाने के फलस्(cid:18)रूप अधोहस्ता्ቌ(cid:20)ी के आदेश (cid:16)ंख्या 7359 विदनांक 19.03.2025 (छाया्ቚचित (cid:16)ंल्ሿ) के माध्यम (cid:16)े अवि(cid:18)्ቫा(cid:16) ्ቚस्ता(cid:18) के (cid:16)म्बन्ध में अविTम बैठक विदनांक 09 अ्ቚैल, 2025 (cid:16)मय 11:00 बजे पू(cid:18)ा5न्ह, ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत काया5लय धमा5पु(cid:20) प(cid:20) विनयत क(cid:20)ते हुये बैठक की अध्य्ቌता हेतु उपसिजलाचिधका(cid:20)ी, (cid:16)द(cid:20), जौनपु(cid:20) को नाविमत विकया गया, तथा ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत की बैठक हेतु विनयत चितथिथ / (cid:16)मय प(cid:20) उपቝኌस्थत होने हेतु (cid:16)मस्त कु ल 44 ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को नोविट(cid:16) पंजीकृ त ्ቑाक ((cid:20)(cid:16)ीद छाया्ቚचित (cid:16)ंल्ሿ) के माध्यम (cid:16)े ्ቚेविUत विकया गया है। 2 of 5 उपसिजलाचिधका(cid:20)ी, (cid:16)द(cid:20), जौनपु(cid:20) ्ቛा(cid:20)ा ्ቚेविUत प्ቔ विदनांक 19.03.2025 के ्ቅम में प्ቔा(cid:18)ली के प(cid:20)ी्ቌणोप(cid:20)ान्त पाया गया विक ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत धमा5पु(cid:20) में कु ल 44 ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों में (32) ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को काया5लय ्ቛा(cid:20)ा विदनांक 22.02.2025 को तथा 12 ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को विदनांक 10.03.2025 को नोविट(cid:16) की (cid:20)सिजस्ट्री विकया जाना पाया गया। एक ही चितथिथ में (cid:16)मस्त ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को नोविट(cid:16) विनग5त न विकये जाने के आ(cid:20)ोप में (cid:16)म्बቝኌन्धत के वि(cid:18)रु्ቍ काय5(cid:18)ाही हेतु सिजला पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:20)ाज अचिधका(cid:20)ी , जौनपु(cid:20) को विनदYथिशत विकया गया। सिज(cid:16)के ्ቅम में सिजला पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:20)ाज अचिधका(cid:20)ी, जौनपु(cid:20) ्ቛा(cid:20)ा काया5लय प्ቔ (cid:16)ंख्या 7362 विदनांक 19 मा(cid:23)5, 2025 (छाया्ቚचित (cid:16)ंल्ሿ) के माध्यम (cid:16)े एक ही चितथिथ में (cid:16)मस्त ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को नोविट(cid:16) विनग5त न विकये जाने के (cid:16)म्बन्ध में (cid:16)म्बቝኌन्धत पटल (cid:16)हायक को का(cid:20)ण बताओ बताओं नोविट(cid:16) विनग5त क(cid:20)ते हुये उ्ቈ(cid:20) / स्पSीक(cid:20)ण मय (cid:16)ाቌኚय (cid:16)विहत तीन विद(cid:18)(cid:16) के भीत(cid:20) ्ቚस्तुत क(cid:20)ने का विनदYश विदया गया है। अचितरि(cid:20)्ሹ कथन उपसिजलाचिधका(cid:20)ी, (cid:16)द(cid:20), जौनपु(cid:20) ्ቛा(cid:20)ा ्ቚेविUत प्ቔ विदनांक 19.03.2025 के ्ቅम अधोहस्ता्ቌ(cid:20)ी के आदेश (cid:16)ंख्या 7359 विदनांक 19.03.2025 के माध्यम (cid:16)े अवि(cid:18)्ቫा(cid:16) ्ቚस्ता(cid:18) के (cid:16)म्बन्ध में पुनः अविTम बैठक विदनांक 09 अ्ቚैल, 2025 (cid:16)मय 11:00 बजे पू(cid:18)ा5न्ह, ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत काया5लय धमा5पु(cid:20) प(cid:20) विनयत क(cid:20)ते हुये बैठक की अध्य्ቌता हेतु उपसिजलाचिधका(cid:20)ी, (cid:16)द(cid:20), जौनपु(cid:20) को नाविमत क(cid:20)ने के (cid:16)ाथ-(cid:16)ाथ (cid:16)मस्त कु ल 44 ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:16)दस्यों को ्ቌे्ቔ पं(cid:23)ायत की बैठक हेतु विनयत चितथिथ /(cid:16)मय प(cid:20) उपቝኌस्थत होने हेतु नोविट(cid:16) पंजीकृ त ्ቑाक के माध्यम (cid:16)े ्ቚेविUत विकया गया है। 19-03-25 सिजला पं(cid:23)ायत (cid:20)ाज अचिधका(cid:20)ी जौनपु(cid:20) 19/03/2025 सिजला मसिजस्ट्र ेट जौनपु(cid:20)" 6. A perusal of the aforesaid instructions reflects that no mention has been made therein as to the number of signatories to the written notice of intention to make the motion of no confidence and neither has the copy of the proposed motion has been enclosed with the instructions. Moreover, the original record has also not been produced, from perusal of which, it could be ascertained by the Court that how many signatories were there on the written notice of intention to make the motion. 7. Apparently, a total of 44 members are there in the Kshetra Panchayat and, as stated in the instructions, more than half of the members had signed the written notice of intention to make the motion. Thirty two of the Kshetra Panchayat members were sent the notice convening the aforesaid meeting of the Kshetra Panchayat by registered post which was dispatched on 22.2.2025, whereas twelve 3 of 5 of the Kshetra Panchayat members were issued notice by registered post dispatched on 10.3.2025. For want of original record, and for want of proper disclosure of the information in the instructions received by the learned Standing Counsel, this Court cannot, but draw a presumption that 32 members of the Kshetra Panchayat had signed the written notice of intention to make the motion of no confidence, who were issued notices of meeting by registered post dispatched on 22.2.2025, and, that 12 members of the Kshetra Panchayat including the petitioner, who were not the signatories to the written notice of intention to make the motion were issued notice by registered post dispatched on 10.3.2025. The petitioner is the Block Pramukh of the Kshetra Panchayat, against whom the no- confidence motion is sought to be moved. 8. It appears to be a deliberate design to delay the dispatch of notices to those 12 members of the Kshetra Panchayat, who were not signatories to the written notice of intention to make the motion so that an illegality can be perpetrated by giving go-by to the mandatory requirement of 15 days notice as envisaged under Section 15(3) (ii) of the Act, 1961 leading to a challenge to the meeting before the Court, so that meeting for considering motion of no confidence can be delayed. Such a delay may lead to frustration of the purpose of the provisions of law. 9. It appears from the instructions that some action is proposed to be taken against an employee in the office of Collector, who delayed the dispatch of notices. However, fresh notices have now been issued fixing 9.4.2025 as the date for consideration of motion of no confidence. We hope and trust that the District Magistrate will ensure statutory compliances. 4 of 5 10. Since the meeting has been delayed due to previous 12 notices being issued on 10.3.2025 leading to unnecessary expense to the exchequer and violation of statutory provisions, we direct that cost of Rs. 10,000/ be deposited by the District Magistrate to the Chief Minister Relief Funds within a period of 15 days from today. It is open for the State Government to recover this amount of cost from the salary of the person responsible for the delay in sending the previous notices on 10.3.2025. 11. Subject to the aforesaid observations, the present writ petition is dismissed having been rendered infructuous. 12. List this matter on 8.4.2025 only for looking into the aspect of compliance of this order. Learned Standing Counsel shall file compliance report on that date. Order Date :- 20.3.2025 sfa/ Digitally signed by :- SYED FAHEEM AHMAD High Court of Judicature at Allahabad 5 of 5