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2011 Supreme(All) 955

[2011(4) ADJ 73 (DB)]
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
BEFORE : ASHOK BHUSHAN AND RAN VIJAI SINGH, JJ.
TIKAM SINGH …Petitioner
Versus
STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS ….Respondents
(Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 3899 of 2011, decided on 31st March, 2011)

Advocates:
Counsel :
Vijendra Singh for the Petitioner; C.S.C., C.K. Parekh for the Respondents.

Headnote:Election—Pramukh of Kshettra Panchayat—Declaration of result by draw of lots—Legality of—Petitioner as well as respondent No. 4 contested the election of Pramukh of Kshettra Panchayat—Both candidates received 33 votes each—Result declared by draw of lot—Petitioner challenged the election of respondent No. 4—Submission of petitioner that Instruction 4(1) (b) of Schedule II of 1994 Rules is ultra vires the constitution and 1961 Act—No second preference votes were cast by voters—Format in which results was declared also clearly mention that election was to be held by proportional representation—Mere fact that voters did not mark other preferences apart from casting only one preference shall not detract the applicability of Schedule II of 1994 Rules for determining the result of election—No ground made out to declare Instruction 4(1) (b) of Schedule II of 1994 Rules as ultra vires. [U.P. Kshettra Panchayat (Election of Pramukhs and Up-Pramukhs and Settlement of Election Disputes) Rules, 1994—Rule 27, Schedule II—Instruction 4(1),(b), Schedule II—U.P. Kshettra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Act, 1961—Section 264-B—Constitution of India, 1950—Articles 14, 243-K and 243-N]. [Paras 22 to 27]

       

JUDGMENT

Hon’ble Ashok Bhushan, J.—Heard Sri Vijendra Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri M.C. Chaturvedi, Chief Standing Counsel, for the State-respondents and Sri C.K. Parekh learned counsel appearing for respondent No. 4.

2. The petitioner as well as respondent No. 4 contested the election of Pramukh of Kshetra Panchayat, Fatehpur Sikri held on 22nd of December, 2010. The counting of votes took place on 22nd of December, 2010. In the counting both the candidates received 33 votes each. The Returning Officer, after informing both the candidates that result of the election shall be declared by draw of lot, asked a minor girl of five years to take out one slip out of two containing name of the candidates. It was also informed that the name slip of the candidate which shall remain in the box after the draw of lot shall be declared elected. The names of both the candidates (petitioner and respondent No. 4) were written down on two slips and the minor girl took out one of the slips which contained the name of Tikam Singh (petitioner). The Assistant Returning Officer declared respondent No. 4 as elected and issued declaration in Form-VIII in her favour. The petitioner has filed an election petition being Election Petition No. 34 of 2011 before the District Judge, Agra challenging the election of respondent No. 4 which is said to be pending. The petitioner has come up in this writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying for the following relief :

“(i) Hold and declare the instruction No. 4(1)(b) of the Schedule II under Rule 27 of the U.P. Kshettra Panchayat (Election of Pramukhs and Up-Pramukhs and Settlement of Election Disputes) Rules, 1994 to be ultra vires being violative of Article 14 and Part IX of the Constitution of India and also of Section 264-B of the U.P. Kshettra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Act, 1961, and quash the same issuing a writ of Certiorari.

(ii) Issue a consequential writ, direction or order in the nature of Certiorari calling for the record and quash the Form VIII under Rule 29 declaring the respondent No. 4 to have been elected as Pramukh of the Kshettra Panchayat, Fatehpur Sikri and also the procedure adopted for drawing the lottery between the petitioner and the respondent No. 4.

(iii) Issue any other writ, order or direction to which the petitioners are found entitled in law by this Hon’ble Court.”

3. Sri Vijendra Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner, has submitted that by this writ petition, the petitioner is challenging Instruction 4(1)(b) of Schedule II of the U.P. Kshettra Panchayat (Election of Pramukhs and Up-Pramukhs and Settlement of Election Disputes) Rules, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as the 1994 Rules) being violative of Article 14 and Part-IX of the Constitution of India and also violative of Section 264-B of the U.P. Kshettra Panchayats and Zila Panchayats Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the 1961 Act). He submits that in several statutes framed for conduct of election including Section 65 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, Rule 54 of the U.P. Panchayat Raj (Election of Members, Pradhans and Up-Pradhans) Rules, 1994 and Rule 55 of the U.P. Kshettra Panchayats and Zila Panchayats (Election of Members) Rules, 1994 whenever a lot is to be drawn the person whose name is taken out is treated to have received an additional vote and is declared elected. He submits that provisions of Schedule II, Instruction 4(1)(b) being contrary to the general rule of lottery system, are unreasonable and are liable to be struck down. He submits that Article 14 of the Constitution of India enjoins the Legislature to frame law which shall apply equally to all persons and Instruction 4(1)(b) being discriminatory is liable to be struck down. Strong reliance has been placed on the judgment of the Madras High Court in the case of S.P. Shanmughasundaram v. Marudachala Goundar and others, (1963)1 MLJ 291. The petitioner, for the proposition that the 1994 Rules violate






































































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