Mehinder Singh Sullar, J.

1. The matrix of the facts, culminating in the commencement, relevant for deciding the instant writ petition and emanating from the record, is that in the wake of general panchayat elections held in the month of December, 1994, the petitioner was elected as Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat of village Rai, District Sonepat, under the provisions of the Haryana Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 (hereinafter to be referred as "the Act"). Having successfully completed, his term expired in the month of March, 2000 when fresh elections were field in the village and the seat of office of Sarpanch was reserved for ladies.

2. It was claimed that during his tenure as Sarpanch, Subha Chand and others filed a complaint against him on 7.6.1999 before the Deputy Commissioner, Sonepat, (respondent No.2), inter-alia on the grounds that he (petitioner) carried out the development work in the village without approval and sanction from the competent authority and without following the due procedure. Thus, he was stated to have mis-appropriated the funds of the Gram Panchayat. The respondent No.2 sent the complaint to SDO (C) Sonepat (respondent No.3), who appointed the BDPO, Rai as