JUDGMENT

R.C. Lahoti, J.-A meeting of the newly elected members of the Municipal Council, Bareta for the purpose of electing President and Vice-President of the Municipality, as contemplated by Section 20 of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 (hereinafter the Act for short) read with Rule 3 of Punjab Municipal (President and Vice-President) Election Rules, 1994 (hereinafter the Rules for short) was convened for 7th April, 1998. There are 13 members of the Municipal Council. The local member of the legislative assembly is an ex-officio member of the Council, who was Shri Hardev Singh Arshi at the relevant time.

2. On 7.4.1998 only 5 out of 13 elected members were present which did not make the quorum for the convened meeting. The convener of the meeting, therefore, adjourned the meeting for want of quorum to 11.4.1998 at 11 a.m. to be held in the office of the Municipal Council, Budhlada.

3. On 11.4.1998, the thirteen elected members and ex-officio member Shri Hardev Singh Arshi, M.L.A. were all present at the appointed time and place. The meeting commenced. It was presided over by Shri Tej Kumar Goyala, P.C.S., General Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner, Mansa, as convener. As conte