1. O.P. No. 8164/03-V

The petitioner, who is a member of Keerampara Grama Panchayat, challenges Ext. P4 order passed by the 1st respondent State Election Commission, declaring that she has suffered disqualification to continue as a member of the Panchayat under S.35(p) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as the Act). The brief facts of the case are the following:

2. The petitioner was elected member of the Keerampara Grama Panchayat from Ward No.4 in the election held in September 2000. The Ward Member is the ex-officio Convenor of the Grama Sabha of that ward. The Grama Sabha has to meet at least once in three months. The last of the meetings of the Grama Sabha of her ward convened by her in the year 2001 was on 14.11.2001. So the next meeting should have been convened on or before 14.2.2002. In the meantime, the Government employees went on strike on 6.2.2002 which ended only on 8.3.2002.

3. The Vice President of the Panchayat was voted out by a no-confidence motion on 7.4.2002 and the President was voted out on 16.4.2002. Thereafter, new President was elected on 7.5.2002 and a Vice President was elected on 14.5.2002. The six months' period fo