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2013 Supreme(All) 1169

ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
(Full Bench)
BEFORE : ASHOK BHUSHAN, S.P. MEHROTRA AND RAN VIJAI SINGH, JJ.
VIKAS TRIVEDI AND OTHERS ....Petitioners
Versus
STATE OF U.P. AND OTHERS ....Respondents
(Civil Misc. Writ Petition Nos. 29907, 46452, 31313 and 33351 of 2012, decided on 23rd April, 2013)

Advocates Appeared:
I.N. Singh, Ajay Yadav, Mayank Awasthi, Yogesh Agarwal, Smt. Manju R. Chauhan, K.N. Tripathi, Bhanu Pratap Singh, Abhishek Srivastava, Ram Murat Singh, Rajiv Dwivedi and Shashi Nandan for the Petitioners; C.S.C., L.M. Singh, M.D. Singh ‘Shekhar’, Manish Goyal, Manish Singh, Sujit Sinha, V.K. Verma, Nisheeth Yadav, K.K. Dwivedi, Shyam Sunder Mishra and U.N. Sharma for the Respondents.

Headnote:(A) U.P. Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961—Section 15(3), 28(2) (3) read with Rule 2—No-confidence Motion—Block Pramukh of Kshetriya Panchayat—Requirement of notice to the members—By the Collector under Section 15 (3) (ii) in prescribed form as required by Rule 2 and Form-2 held not mandatory—On substantial compliance of the provisions, proceeding not to be vitiated—The substantial compliance of the provisions would depend on the facts and circumstances of each case. [Paras 79 and 81]

       (B) No confidence motion—Pramukh—Notice in prescribed form—Whether mandatory—Held, notice in prescribed form alongwith its annexures as required by Rule 2 and Form 2 in complete formate, not mandatory. [Para 81]

       (C) U.P. Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961—Section 15 (3) (ii)—No confidence Motion—Pramukh—Notice sent by the Collector—Validity of—The notice sent by the Collector convening the meeting to consider the motion of no confidence could not be invalidated on the ground that copy of the notice with the name of the person who had signed the written notice of intention, was not sent alongwith the notice—When proposed motion of no confidence signed by the requisite members, the notice convening the meeting could not be invalidated merely on the ground that some pages of the proposed motion signed by some members only were sent alongwith the notice. [Para 81]

       (D) U.P. Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961—Section 15(3) (ii) read with Rule 2—No confidence motion—Pramukh—Sending of notice in prescribed form—Held, notice in prescribed form alongwith its annexures in complete formate not mandatory—The observation of Division Bench in Ram Nath Tripathi's case [1992(2) UPLBEC 1181] did not lay down in correct law—The judgment in Smt. Krishna Jaiswal's case [2005 (2) AWC 1732] laid down the correct law. [Para 81]

       (E) U.P. Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961—Section 15—No confidence motion—Right of elected members—Provision of Section 15 of the Act, recognising the right of elected members to bring motion of no confidence against the Pramukh—The Collector entrusted with public duty to issue notice. [Para 72]

       

JUDGMENT

Hon’ble Ashok Bhushan, J.—This Full Bench has been constituted to answer the questions referred by two Division Benches, while hearing writ petition No. 29907 of 2012 and writ petition No. 46452 of 2012. The facts of both the writ petitions and the issues raised need to be noted before we look into the questions which have been referred by the two Division Benches.

2. Writ petition No. 29907 of 2012, Vikas Trivedi v. State of U.P., has been filed by the petitioner, who was elected and functioning as Block Pramukh of Kshetra Panchayat Malava, district Fatehpur challenging the order of the District Magistrate dated 21.5.2012 by which order, the District Magistrate has directed for convening the meeting on 11.6.2012 for consideration of no confidence motion against the petitioner. The petitioner after coming to know about the no confidence motion, which was scheduled to take place on 11.6.2012 filed an election petition before the District Judge, Fatehpur making various allegations including the allegation that in the resolution of no confidence motion which has been received by the petitioner, there is no signature of any member. The District Judge fixed a date in July for considering the maintainability of the petition hence, the petitioner filed writ petition No. 29907 of 2012. Meeting for no confidence motion against Vikash Trivedi was held on 11.6.2012 as scheduled. Out of 94 members of the Kshetra Panchayat, 76 members were present in the debate and only 69 members casted their votes. 67 members voted in favour of no confidence motion and one member voted against no confidence motion and one vote was declared invalid. The no confidence motion was declared passed with majority of 67-1. Amendment application has been filed by the petitioner seeking to amend the writ petition challenging the order dated 11.6.2012 by which result of no confidence motion was declared and letter dated 18.6.2012 by which Sub Divisional Officer was appointed as Administrator till fresh election is held. In the writ petition submission was made that the notice presented before the District Magistrate did not comply with the requirement of Section 15(2) of U.P. Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as 1961 Act). It was further submitted that proposed no confidence resolution was not appended with motion nor was in prescribed format. Reliance was placed by learned counsel for the petitioner on Division Bench judgment of this Court in Ram Nath Tripathi v. Commissioner Lucknow Division, Lucknow and others, (1992) 2 UPLBEC 1181. Learned Standing Counsel refuting the submissions of learned counsel for the petitioner contended that even if notice of no confidence motion has not been given in prescribed format that will not vitiate the proceedings since giving notice in prescribed format is only directory. The Court at the time of hearing of the writ petition looked into the record produced by learned Standing Counsel which indicated that notice of no confidence motion was signed by 60 members and was dated 19.5.2012. The Division Bench heard the matter on 11.7.2012. The Division Bench expressed its doubts regarding the view taken in Ram Nath Tripathi’s case. The Division Bench also expressed its doubts about the view taken by the Division Bench in Smt. Krishna Jaiswal v. State of U.P. and others, 2005 (2) AWC 1732, that the word ‘’may’ used in Section 28(3) (ii) of 1961 Act indicates that use of proforma is not mandatory. The Division Bench also noticed subsequent two Division Benches following the view taken in Smt. Krishna Jainswal’s case. In view of the submissions made before the Division Bench, the Division Bench vide its order dated 11.6.2012 referred following two questions for consideration by larger Bench.

(i) Whether notice required to be given under Section 15(2) and (3) of Act, 1961 as also under Section 28(2) and (3) of Act, 1961 read with Rules prescribing the format and procedure is mandatory?




















































































































































































































































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