V.K. BARDE, J.:---Writ Petition No. 2162 of 1999 is filed for challenging the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (hereinafter referred to as ""the Corporation""), held on 20-4-1999 : while the other two writ petitions are filed for challenging the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Corporation separately by the petitioner Shri Oberoi, one of the Corporators. As these three writ petitions raise common issues, those are being disposed of by this common judgment.

2. The grounds raised for challenging the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor respondents Nos. 4 and 5 respectively in Writ Petition No. 2162 of 1999 are as follows.

3. The petitioner Shri Dhillon had contested the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor both on 20-4-1999 against respondents Nos. 4 and 5 respectively : and he lost both the elections.

4. The contention of the petitioner Shri Dhillon is that, at the time of voting, 16 voters were given assistance to vote for the election of the Mayor, and 8 voters were given assistance for the election of Deputy Mayor. No reason whatsoever was there to give assistance to those voters. Respondent No. 6-Smt. Gunjate was then the Mayor of