G. K. MISRA, C. J.

( 1 ) THE petitioner and opposite party No. 1 were candidates for election of sarpanch in the Golantha Gram Panchayat. The election was held on 3-6-67 and the results were published on 9-6-67. Opposite party No. 1 was declared elected. The petitioner filed an election petition under Section 31 of the Orissa Gram panchayat Act, 1964 (hereinafter to be called as the Act) for setting aside the election of opposite party No. 1 on the ground, amongst others, that he was disqualified under Section 25 (1), Clause (1) of the Act as he was a debtor to the aska Multipurpose Co-operative Society. The election petition was registered as misc. Case No. 109 of 1967. It was taken up for trial. After the close of the entire evidence the petitioner filed an application for further cross-examination of opposite party No. 1 himself with reference to a document which was called for earlier but produced subsequent to his examination on oath. The application was filed under Order 18, Rule 17 C. P. C. The learned Munsif was of opinion that Order 18, Rule 17 was not applicable to trial of election cases, and as such he had no power to grant the prayer. The petitioner filed an appeal be