( 1 ) IN pursuance of an order made by a single Judge of this Court on 12-3-1951, four persons--Krishna Madho, Balak Ram, Chunni Lal and Manni Ram--appeared, before us to show cause why they should not be punished for having committed contempt of Court. Krishna Madho is the Pradhan and Balak Bam, the Up-Pradhan of the Gram Sabha of village Aurahwa, police station Pachperwa, district Gonda, Chunni Lal is a Prantiya Raksha Dal leader and Manni Ram is a panch of the Panchayat.

( 2 ) THE background of this case may be shortly stated. On 24-1-1950, Krishna Madho and Balak ram applied to the Deputy Commissioner, Gonda alleging that Basdeo, Jageshwar, Ishaq and others were bad characters habitually addicted to the committing of thefts and that preventive action should be taken against them. On the same day they as well as Chunni Lal and Manni Ram applied to the Panchayat Officer making a similar request. No report of any date prior to 24-1-1950, the date of the above application, existed against any of the persons named in the applications. After the two applications a large number of reports, one after the other, were made against the persons named in the applications and they cu