Honble CHAUHAN, J.–The instant writ petitions have been filed by the petitioner challenging the impugned judgment and order dated 14.7.98 passed by the Election Tribunal (District Judge), Bikaner, by which the election of the petitioner as Sarpanch has been set-aside on the ground that the Returning Officer had committed an error in rejecting the nomination-forms filed by the contesting res- pondents herein.

(2). The facts and circumstances giving rise to these cases are that election for the post of Sarpanch reserved for woman (General Seat) of Gram Panchayat, Surpura tehsil Nokha district Bikaner, was held in January, 1995. The contesting respondents in both these petitions, viz. Smt. Bughi Devi and Smt. Dali Devi submi- tted their nomination forms for the said office, however, on the date of scrutiny, nomination forms of the said respondents were rejected and as there was no other candidate, petitioner was declared elected Sarpanch un-opposed.

(3). The contesting respondents filed separate election petitions before the Election Tribunal-respondent No.1 on the ground that their nomination forms had wrongly been rejected. Both the petitions were consolidated and heard together. In t

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