Panchayat reorganization must consider actual contiguity, distance, population; arbitrary decisions based on wrong facts/misrepresented distances are amenable to judicial review and liable to be quashed.

JUDGMENT :

VIVEK SINGH THAKUR, J.

1. Petitioners, namely Nehru Yuva Club of Village Manlog-Badog and Mahila Mandal of Village Manlog-Badog, have preferred present petition against inclusion of Village Manlog Badog in Gram Panchayat Darlaghat, District Solan, after exclusion of the said village from Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog vide notification dated 27.01.2026 (Annexure P-3).

2. It is the case of the petitioners that, by issuing notification dated 18.12.2025, proposing reorganization/merger of Panchayats, objections and suggestions from the residents of the concerned Gram Panchayats were invited, authorizing Deputy Commissioner, Solan to receive objections and suggestions from the public and to submit final recommendations after considering the same. The proposal for inclusion of Village Manlog Badog in Gram Panchayat Darlaghat after exclusion of the same from Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog was opposed by the residents of Manlog Badog by submitting objections dated 30.12.2025 on 31.12.2025 to the Additional District Magistrate, Solan, with copies thereof to the District Panchayat Adhikari and Deputy Commissioner, Solan, stating that few years ago, such proposal had been accepted by some villagers, but the present scenario is completely different and most of the villagers are not interested in inclusion of Manlog Badog in Gram Panchayat Darlaghat, as relations and day-to-day business of residents of Village Manlog Badog are interwoven with residents of Village Hanuman Badog, as both villages are contiguous. Attention of the authorities was also invited to the application submitted by residents of Gram Panchayat Darlaghat opposing the inclusion of Manlog Badog in Gram Panchayat Darlaghat.

3. Nothing was heard with respect to the aforesaid objections. Instead, the respondents issued impugned notification dated 27.01.2026 (Annexure P-3), notifying inclusion of Village Manlog Badog in Gram Panchayat Darlaghat after its exclusion from Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog.

4. Immediately after issuance of the notification dated 27.01.2026, residents of Manlog Badog contacted Up-Pardhan of Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog, who issued certificate/communication dated 28.01.2026 (Annexure P-4), highlighting that day-to-day affairs of the residents of Village Manlog Badog were connected with residents of Village Hanuman Badog. It was further stated that Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog was about 2-3 km from Village Manlog Badog, whereas Gram Panchayat Darlaghat was located about 6-7 km away. Therefore, request was made to keep Village Manlog Badog in Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog.

5. Thereafter, Authorized Officer-cum-Block Development Officer, Kunihar, District Solan, issued notification dated 02.02.2026 (Annexure P-5) notifying determination/delimitation of seats of Gram Panchayats Sehrol, Badog, Hanuman Badog and Darlaghat situated in Development Block Kunihar and inviting objections from the public regarding delimitation proposal of constituencies and wards within one week from the date of publication of the notice.

6. On 03.02.2026, residents of Village Manlog Badog submitted their objections on the same lines as were submitted earlier against notification of reorganization/merger dated 18.12.2025.

7. Resolutions au