IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD
R.M. BORDE, K.K. SONAWANE, JJ.
Gram Panchayat, Waghbet, Tq. Parli-Vaijnath & Ors. – Petitioners
Versus
The State of Maharashtra & Ors. – Respondents
Writ Petition No.359 of 2018
Decided On : 05-06-2018
Constitution Of India,1950- Article 243-C - Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959 - Section 57 - Jurisdiction of various Grampanchayats - Quash - State Government and after about of release of for carrying out works at instance of Minister for Rural Development with a intention respondent State has issued a corrigendum to Government Resolution where works which were being undertaken by concerned Village Panchayts were withdrawn and those were allotted to Public Works Department (PWD)- It is contention of petitioners that there is absolutely no ground for transfer of part of works out works to PWD- It is alleged by petitioners that since concerned village panahayats are control of rival political group only works which are being undertaken at village controlled by opposition parties numbering works out total works have been withdrawn- It is contention of petitioners that act of State Government shall have to be tested on touch stone of fairness and since it is alleged that village under control of opposition party are being extended discriminatory treatment impugned corrigendum deserves to be quashed and set aside –Held, Govt resolution which would empower State Government to change implementing agency- It has not been contended by respondents that any of public representative has impressed upon State Government to change implementing agency since works are undertaken by utilizing funds allotted by State Government- Even if it is presumed that it is within competence and power of State Government exercise of such power shall not be arbitrary- As has been observed by Division bench in matter of State of Punjab versus Government and public bodies are trustees of powers vested in them- Discharge of trust reposed them in best possible manner is their primary duty- These powers are to be exercised by State and State instrumentalities in a fair reasonable non-discriminatory and objective manner duty to fair reasonable non-discriminatory and objective manner is rule of law in constitutional democracy like ours- Government and public bodies are free to choose implementing agency in executing works funded by them but any such selection or withdrawal of work must demonstrate that decision is unaffected by any extraneous consideration- Any decision taken in arbitrary and in-transparent manner or for political consideration will be amenable to judicial review and liable to be quashed and set aside costs of repetition it must be recorded that it has not been explained as to why respondents thought it fit change implementing agency in respect of petty village specific works costing not more than each and entrusting job to a State level agency like PWD- It has also not been explained as why only works out of total have been withdrawn- Any decision taken in arbitrary manner without observing transparency and for extraneous consideration is amenable to judicial review and is liable to be quashed and set aside - Order accordingly
R.M Borde, J.
1. Heard.
2. Rule. With the consent of the parties, petition is taken up for final disposal at admission stage.
3. The petitioners are Grampanchayats within Parlivaijnath taluka, district: Beed, constituted under the provisions of The Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959. The petitioners are objecting to the corrigendum dated 30.12.2017 issued by respondent No.1-State, directing transfer of 101 works together with the funds to the Public works Division, Osmanabad for execution.
4. According to the petitioners, the Chief Executive Officer, Zilha Parishad, Osmanabad accorded administrative sanction for carrying out 206 works of different characters within the jurisdiction of various Grampanchayats in Parlivaijnath taluka on 28.12.2016. The Zilha Parishad released funds amounting to Rs.6,52,88,600/- to the Panchayat Samiti Parlivaijnath for carrying out 206 works on 31.3.2017. According to the petitioners, out of 206 works to be undertaken within the jurisdiction of various Grampanchayats in Parlivaijnath taluka, about 43 work-orders have been issued to Grampanchayat and out of 43 works, 18 works are completed and remaining are in progress. It is further contended that so far as remaining 163 works are concerned, the respective Grampanchayats have completed the process in respect of execution of the works and submitted proposals to the Panchayat samiti for issuance of work orders. It is the allegation of the petitioners that general elections to the Grampanchayats in Parlivaijnath Taluka were held and most of the Grampanchayats which were under the control of ruling party at the State level have come under the control of elected bodies, having allegiance to the rival political party. In the month of December, 2017, almost after one year of the allotment of the funds by the State Government and after about 9 months of release of funds by the Zilha parishad to the Panchayat samiti for carrying out the works, at the instance of Honourable Minister for Rural Development, with a malafide intention, the respondent State has issued a corrigendum to the Government Resolution dated 24.10.2016, where-under, 101 works which were being undertaken by the concerned Village Panchayts, were withdrawn and those were allotted to the Public Works Department (PWD). It is the contention of the petitioners that there is absolutely no ground for transfer of the part of the works out of total 206 works to the PWD. It is alleged by the petitioners that since the concerned village panahayats are under the control of rival political group, only works which are being undertaken at the village panchayats controlled by the opposition parties, numbering 101 works out of 206 total works have been withdrawn. It is the contention of the petitioners that the act of the State Government shall have to be tested on the touch stone of fairness and since it is alleged that the village panchayats under the control of opposition party are being extended discriminatory treatment, the impugned corrigendum dated 30.12.2017 deserves to be quashed and set aside.
5. On the contrary, it is the contention of the respondent State that the funds have been allotted by the State Government for carrying out the developmental works within the jurisdiction of various village panchayats in Parlivaijnath Taluka. Such developmental schemes are undertaken through out the district. The respondent contends that it is the prerogative of the State Government to prescribe the implementing agency for carrying out the developmental works. The Government Resolution dated 27.3.2015 prescribes modalities for carrying out developmental works suggested by the representatives of the people. Our attention is invited to clause 'D' of the Govt. resolution dated 27.3.2015 to contended that the State Govt. is expected to take final decision in respect of implementing agency for carrying out the developmental works suggested by the representatives of people. The respondent also contend
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