This writ petition seeks writ of quo warranto against sixth respondent herein to disclose the authority under which he is holding office of Sarpanch of Thiruchanoor Gram Panchayat and for a further direction to vacate the office of the Sarpanch. As an alternative relief, petitioners seek an order from this Court to remove sixth respondent from the office of the Sarpanch.

The petitioners 1 to 4, 6, 7 and 9 statedly belong to Backward Classes (BCs). In the elections conducted for the office of the Sarpanch (reserved for BCs) of Thiruchanoor, under supervision of sixth respondent on 29.7.2006, the petitioners 7, 8, sixth respondent and three others contested election. The sixth respondent was declared elected. The sixth respondent claimed to be a candidate belonging to BC-A, i.e., ‘Vannereddy’, recognized as BC in the State of Andhra Pradesh. The petitioners allege that sixth respondent hails from Tamil Nadu and belongs to Naikkar caste, which is not one of the classes/castes recognized as BC in Andhra Pradesh. They therefore assert that sixth respondent does not belong to BC in Andhra Pradesh. The petitioners also referred to the evidence they procured in support of this c