JUDGMENT :

Siddhartha Varma, J.

1. The petitioner no. 1-Dinesh Kumar is the Gram Pradhan, Gram Panchayat – Sewra Lal, Vikas Khand – Vikramjot, District – Basti; the petitioner no. 2-Hariom Pal is the Additional Development Officer, Gram Panchayat – Sewra Lala, Vikas Khand – Vikramjot, District – Basti; the petitioner no. 3-Awadhesh Jaiswal is the Gram Panchayat Adhikari, Gram Panchayat – Sewra Lala, Vikas Khan – Vikramjot, District – Basti; the petitioner no. 4-Suraj Kumar Pandey, is the Village Development Officer, Gram Panchaat – Sewra Lala, Vikas Khand – Vikramjot, District – Basti and the petitioner no. 5-Vijay Kumar Malviya, is the Technical Assistant, Gram Panchayat – Sewra Lala, Vikas Khand – Vikramjot, District Ballia.

2. A complaint was filed by one Prince Kumar Shukla regarding the alleged irregularities committed by the petitioners. On 12.5.2022, the Chief Development Officer passed an order for conducting an enquiry. On 1.6.2022, an enquiry report, which as per the petitioner was an ex-parte one, was submitted by the Deputy Director of Agriculture, Basti.

3. Thereafter, on the basis of the ex parte enquiry, the District Magistrate issued show cause notices to the petitioner