JUDGMENT :

1. This Petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India assails the legality, propriety and correctness of the judgment and order dated 23 June 2022 passed by the Additional Divisional Commissioner, Pune Division, Pune in Appeal No.VP/Pune-20/2021 under Section 16(2) of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959 (the Act, 1959), whereby the appeal preferred by the Respondent No.1 herein against the judgment and order dated 1 December 2021 in Dispute Application No.29 of 2021 passed by the District Collector, Pune, disqualifying the Respondent No.1 under Section 14(1) (j-3) of the Act, came to be allowed by setting aside the said order.

2. Shorn of unnecessary details, the background facts leading to this Appeal can be stated as under :

2.1 The Petitioner is the applicant in Dispute Application No.29 of 2021. In the month of January 2021, general elections to Village Panchayats including Village Pimple – Jagtap, Tal. Shirur, Dist. Pune, were held. Respondent No.1 was elected as a member of Panchayat from Ward No.2.

2.2 The Petitioner being the resident of Village Pimple-Jagtap and also a voter at the said election, preferred Dispute Application No.29 of 2021 before