( 1 ) THIS Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed by the petitioner challenging the validity of the order of the Senior Civil Judge, Adilabad dated 6-8-1998 passed in O. P. 25 of 1996 deciding the additional issue holding that the said Court has jurisdiction to entertain the petition under Section 233 of the andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 read with Rule 2 of A. P. Panchayat Raj (Election Tribunals in respect of Gram panchayats, Mandal Parishads and Zilla parishads) Rules, 1995 filed by the petitioner (sic. 2nd respondent) who was defeated in the election.

( 2 ) THE facts relating to the petition fall in a narrow ambit and may be stated briefly as follows: as per the averments in the petition, under A. P. Panchayat Raj Act, Zilla parishad was constituted for Adilabad district with its headquarters at Adilabad. Adilabad District was divided into territorial constituencies for election of members to the Zilla Parishad. One such zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency was constituted for Dandepalli Mandal. Elections were held on 6-3-1995 for the post of Member to the Zilla Parishad. The petitioner herein and the second responde