By the Court.—Heard Sri J.P. Singh, Sri D.K.S. Rathor, Sri Manish, Sri Ashwani Kumar Srivastava, Sri Ravesh Kumar Singh, Sri Vidya Kant Shukla, Sri S.K. Yadav, Sri Atul Tej Kushwaha, Ram Chandra Yadav, Sri Ateeq Uddin, Sri M.A. Abbasi, Sri S.D. Yadav, Sri Ashwani Kumar Mishra, Sri Satyavir Singh, Sri R.P. Ranjan and Sri J.J. Munir, learned counsels for the petitioners, Sri M.C. Chaturvedi, Chief Standing Counsel assisted by Sri Suresh Singh, learned Standing Counsel for the State-Respondents.

2. This bunch of writ petitions have been filed by elected Pradhans of various Gram Panchayats/Sabhas of various districts of the State of Uttar Pradesh.

3. The basic facts and the legal aspects raised are identical in all these writ petitions, accordingly, they are being decided by this common judgment. The facts on record of Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 1509 of 2009 are being stated for the purposes of present judgment treating the same to be the leading case.

4. Petitioners before this Court challenge the Government Order dated 18th July, 2008, copy whereof has been enclosed along with writ petition. The facts leading to the issuance of the same are as under :

5. The Principal Secretar