JUDGMENT :

M. S. Sonak, J.

1. Heard learned counsel for the parties.

2. The Petitioners, by instituting the present Petition, seek the following reliefs :

“(a) For an order quashing the Impugned Notification bearing Ref. No.3 / 30 / Reservation / GEVP-186 / 2022- 23 / SEC / 3343 dated 01/07/2022 published in Series II No.13 of the Official Gazette, Government of Goa.

(b) For a writ of mandamus or any other writ in the nature of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction to the to the Respondent Nos. 1 and 2 to-issue a fresh notification on the subject of "Reservation of seats in Village Panchayats for General Elections to 186 Village Panchayats 2022" after securing compliance with the constitutional mandate of K. Krishna Murthy (supra) and Vikas Gawali (supra) and the statutory mandate of Section 7 of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, thereby undertaking reservation of seats in favour of the OBC category in terms of law."

3. Mr. Bhobe, the learned Counsel for the Petitioners, submits that the Petitioners have a statutory right to insist that the State Election Commission (SEC) provide reservations to Other Backward Classes (OBC). By not providing such reservations, he sub