( 1 ) NOTICE for final disposal at the stage of admission was issued by this Court on 20th July 2007.

( 2 ) HEARD learned Counsel for the respective parties. Rule. Rule returnable forthwith.

( 3 ) THE petitioner, a defeated candidate at the election of the Village Gram Panchayat, jalod, Taluka Amalner, District Jalgaon, held in the year 2005, seeks issuance of a writ or direction for setting aside the said election of the Village Panchayat on the ground of illegality and nullity.

( 4 ) THE brief factual matrix is as follows: the petitioner is resident of village jalod, Taluka Amalner, District Jalgaon. The collector Jalgaon as per the direction of the state Election Commission, had issued a draft Notification under Rule (2) of the Bombay village Panchayats (Number of Members, divisions into Wards and Reservation of seats) Rules, 1966 (for short, "the Rules, 1966") on 30-6-2005 and invited objections to the said Notification by 6th July 2005. Thereafter the Collector issued a final Notification under Rule 5 (1) of the Rules, 1966 on 15th July 2005.

( 5 ) FROM the material placed on record of this Court we find that wardwise reservation was declared by the Collect