Mehar Singh, J.

1. A meeting of the Phagwara Municipal Committee took place on June 20, 1960, for the election of the President and the Vice-President of the Committee. It was presided over by the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil). In consequence of the behaviour of the respondents in that meeting the appellant proceeded against each under Section 16(1)(e) of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911 (Punjab Act 3 of 1911), hereinafter referred to as the Act, by issuing a show-cause notice, Annexure A with each of the two petitions by the respondents, Bhagat Ram Patanga and Om Parkash Agnihotri, on December 5, 1960, why action be not taken against the particular respondent under that provision. In the case of Bhagat Ram Patanga respondent, the show-cause notice read --

"It has been brought to the notice of the Government that on the 20th June, 1960, the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Phagwara, convened a meeting of the newly elected members of the Municipal Committee, Phagwara, after the elections of the Committee, held on the 17-10-1959 in order to administer oath of allegiance and to conduct the election of the President of the Committee to enable the new Committee to take over the ch