2004 Supreme(MP) 77

2005(1) JLJ 47
S.S. Jha and A.K. Gohil, JJ.
Kamla Durga Solanki (Smt.) v. State of M.P. and others
L.P.A. No. 163 of 2003 : against the order of Single Bench passed in
Writ Petition No. 1800 of 2003; Decided on 28.1.2004.

Headnote:(1) Panchayat (Gram Panchayat Ke Sarpanch Tatha Up-sarpanch, Janpad Panchayat Tatha Zila Panchayat Ke President Tatha Vice-President Ke Viruddh A vishwas Prastav) Niyam, 1994 (M.P.) -- R. 5(5) -- M.P. Panchayat (Up-Sarpanch, President and Vice-President) Nirvachan Niyam, 1995 -- R. 16(5) -- conduct of business of no-confidence motion under R. 5(5) of 1994 Rules n mode prescribed under R. 16(5) of 1995 Rules adopted on request of women members -- permitted to vote through males, their near relations -petitioner did not object -- cannot thereafter raise any objection.

       Respondent No.4 Shrimati Guddibai was elected as member of Zila Panchayat, Morena, and thereafter she was elected as President of the Zila Panchayat under section 32 of the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat Raj Evam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam, 1993 (hereinafter, referred to as the "Act"). After her election, an application was submitted to the Commissioner, Chambal Division, by some of the members of the panchayat proposing to move motion of no-confidence against the elected president. On receiving the letter of the members, Commissioner issued notice Annexure P-3 dated 12.8.2002 (annexed with the writ petition), fixing a date to consider the motion of no-confidence and appointed Collector, District Morena, as Presiding Officer to conduct the motion. Meeting was convened on 20.8.2002 and in the meeting, motion of no-confidence against the president was carried out and she was removed from the post of the president.

       [Para 2

       Women members present in the meeting requested that they may be permitted to cast their votes with the help of their brother or husband. They also stated that their husband or brother will endorse the mark on the ballot paper according to their desire. Proposal of women members was accepted by all the members by majority of votes. [Para 4

       Only question involved in the appeal is whether there was any breach of rules while considering the motion of no-confidence... [Para 3

       Held : Question in this case is whether the Presiding Officer was justified in permitting the women members to take the assistance of their husband or brother or any other near relation. It may be seen that this course was adopted on the request of women members including the petitioner in the writ petition Shrimati Guddibai. Presiding Officer has probably considered the procedure for permission to women candidates to take the assistance under the provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Panchayat (Up-sarpanch, President and Vice President) Nirvachan Niyam, 1995. [Para 8A

        The provision followed is prescribed under the Rules of 1995 for election of Vice President and President. Elected members have not raised any objection to the proceedings for consideration of no-confidence motion. It is not the case of the respondent No. 4 that mandatory provisions have been violated. For conducting elections, assistance of husband/brother has been sought to provide assistance to women members for casting their votes. Before such resolution was passed, it was not opposed by Shrimati Guddibai. She had not registered her protest. Casting of votes was in terms of rule 5(5) of the Rules of 1994. It is not the case of respondent No.4 that women members were forced by their husbands to cast votes in favour of no-confidence motion against their wishes. Women members have not been impleaded as party in the writ petition. In the absence of any allegation that exercise of votes by women members was under influence of their husbands, motion of no-confidence which has been carried out by 3/4th majority of votes cannot be set at naught. [Para 20

       (2) Constitution of India -- Art. 226 -- office-bearer recalled or removed by no-confidence motion -- election for the post duly held and post filled in -- writ petition is not proper remedy -- election petition should be filed.

       Counsel for the appellant submitted that since after passing of no-confidence motion, fresh elections have been held and appellant was duly elected, her election cannot be set aside unless election petition is filed. [Para 16

       Held: Fresh elections for the post of the President were held on 6.9.2002 and appellant was elected as President. Hence, only remedy of the petitioner in the writ petition was to challenge the election by way of election petition alleging therein that no-confidence motion was not passed properly or any other ground available to her. 2003(1) Vidhi Bhasvar 119 relied on. [Para 20

       (3) Panchayat Raj Evam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam, 1993 (M.P.) -- S. 35(4) -- no delegation of power to the minister under -- he cannot hear and decide the dispute. [Para 5

       (4) Panchayat (Gram Panchayat Ke Sarpanch Tatha Up-sarpanch, Janpad Panchayat Tatha Zila Panchayat Ke President Tatha Vice-President Ke Viruddh A vishwas Prastav) Niyam, 1994 (M.P.) -- R. 3(3) -- requirements are not mandatory but directory -- even if the requirements in statute are mandatory in interest of a person -- such person can waive them if no public interest is involved. 2000(2) JLJ 253 (FE), 1997(1) Vidhi Bhasvar 49 and 1998(1) JLJ 113 relied on. [Para 10

       (5) Panchayat (Gram Panchayat Ke Sarpanch Tatha Up-sarpanch, Janpad Panchayat Tatha Zila Panchayat Ke President Tatha Vice-President Ke Viruddh A vishwas Prastav) Niyam, 1994 (M.P.) -- R. 5(5) -- mode of casting of votes for no-confidence motion duly prescribed -- casting of votes by raising hands is in violation. 1003(1) Vidhi Bhasvar 101 relied on. [Para 12

       (6) Gram Panchayat (No-Confidence Motion against Sarpanch and Up-sarpanch) Rules, 1964 (M.P.) -- R. 3(2) -- provision is directory -- failure to enter names of panchas voting for and against motion -- ‘resolution does not become invalid -- motion passed in presence of judicial officer -- presence of executive officer does not render it invalid. 1975 JLJ 386 relied on. (1994) 2 SCC 50 followed.

       [Para 13

       (7) Civil Servant -- departmental enquiry against -- violation of any and every procedural provision -- does not vitiate enquiry in absence of prejudice which is to be proved. AIR 1996 SC 1669 followed. [Para 14

       (8) Panchayat (Gram Panchayat Ke Sarpanch Tatha Up-sarpanch, Janpad Panchayat Tatha Zila Panchayat Ke President Tatha Vice-President Ke Viruddh A vishwas Prastav) Niyam, 1994 (M.P.) -- R. 3(3) -- motion of no-confidence u sarpanch not allowed to speak -- no complaint lodged by him u no-confidence passed by majority cannot be set aside. 1999(1) Vidhi Bhasvar 4 relied on. [Para 15

       (9) Panchayat (Gram Panchayat Ke Sarpanch Tatha Up-sarpanch, Janpad Panchayat Tatha Zila Panchayat Ke President Tatha Vice-President Ke Viruddh A vishwas Prastav) Niyam, 1994 (M.P.) -- Rr. 5(4) and 5(5) -- no permission to discuss the motion provided -- even such non-compliance does not render the no-confidence motion invalid when petitioner was himself present. 1997(2) JLJ 397 relied on. [Para 16

       (10) Waiver -- and estoppel -- do not operate against law. (1998) 2 SCC 502 fallowed.

       [Para 17

       (11) Election -- once elected to an office -- incumbent is entitled to hold office for whole term unless his election is set aside under law. 2003(1) MPJR 12 relied on. AIR 2001 SC 2524 followed. [Para 17

       ¼1½ iapk;r ¼xzke iapk;r ds ljiap rFkk miljiap] tuin iapk;r rFkk ftyk iapk;r ds v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko½ fu;e] 1994 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 5¼5½ && e-iz- iapk;r ¼mi ljiap] v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k½ fuokZpu fu;e] 1995 && fu- 16¼5½ && lu~ 1994 d fu;eksa ds fu-5¼5½ ds v/khu vfo‘okl izLrko ds dk;Z dk lapkyu && efgyk lnL;ksa ds vuqjks/k ij lu~ 1995 ds fu;eksa ds fu- 16¼5½ esa fofgr <ax viuk;k x;k && mUgsa vius ?kfu"B ukrsnkj iq#"kksa ds ek/;e ls ernku dh vuqKk nh xbZ && ;kph us vkifRrÙk ugha dh && rRi‘pkr~ vkifRrÙk ugha dh ldrhA

        izR;FkhZ Ø-4 Jherh xqM~MhckbZ ftyk iapk;r] eqjSuk dh lnL; fuokZfpr gqbZ Fkh] rRi‘pkr~ mls e/; izns‘k iapk;r jkt ,oa xzke Lojkt vf/kfu;e] 1993 ¼,rfLeu~i‘pkr~ *vf/kfu;e* ds :i esa fufnZ"V½ dh /kkjk 32 ds v/khu ftyk iapk;r dk v/;{k fuokZfpr fd;k x;kA mlds fuokZpu ds i‘pkr~ iapk;r ds dqN lnL;ksa }kjk] fuokZfpr v/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko ykus dk izLrko djrs gq, vk;qDr] pacy laHkkx dks vkosnu fd;k x;kA lnL;ksa dk i= izkIr gksus ij vk;qDr us vfo‘okl izLrko ij fopkj djus ds fy, fnukad fu;r djrs gq, lwpuk fnukad 12-8-2002 ¼mikca/k ih&3½ tkjh dh rFkk dyDVj] ftyk eqjSuk dks izLrko lapkfyr djus ds fy, ihBklhu vf/kdkjh fu;qDr fd;kA lfEeyu 20-8-2002 dks cqyk;k x;k rFkk lfEeyu es v/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko ikfjr fd;k x;k vkSj og v/;{k ds in ls gVk nh xbZA ¿ iSjk 2À

        lfEeyu ls mifLFkr efgyk lnL;ksa us vuqjks/k fd;k fd mUgsa vius HkkbZ vFkok ifr dh lgk;rk ls renku djus dh vuqKk nh tk,A mUgksusa ;g Hkh dgk fd mudk HkkbZ ;k ifr mudh bPNkuqlkj eri= ij fpà i`"Bkafdr djsxkA efgyk lnL;ksa dk izLrko lHkh lnL;ksa us cgqer ls Lohdkj dj fy;kA ¿ iSjk 4À

        vfHkfu/kkZfjr % bl ekeys es iz‘u ;g gS fd D;k ihBklhu vf/kdkjh }kjk efgyk lnL;ksa dks muds ifr ;k HkkbZ ;k fdlh vU; ?kfu"B ukrsnkj dh lgk;rk dh vuqKk nh tkuk U;k;ksfpr Fkk \ bl ij /;ku fn;k tk, fd ;g ekxZ efgyk lnL;ksa ds] ftuesa ;kfpdk dh ;kph Jherh xqM~MhckbZ lfEefyr Fkh] vuqjks/k ij viuk;k x;k FkkA laHkkO; gS fd ihBklhu vf/kdkjh us e/; izns‘k iapk;r ¼miljiap] v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k½ fuokZpu fu;e] 1995 ds mica/kks ds v/khu efgyk vH;fFkZ;ksa }kjk lgkr;k ds fy, tkus dh vuqKk ds fy, izfØ;k ij fopkj fd;k gSA ¿ iSjk 8,À

        vuqlfjr mica/k] mik/;{k rFkk v/;{k ds fuokZpu ds fy, lu~ 1995 ds fu;eksa ds v/khu fofgr gSA fuokZfpr lnL;ksa us vfo‘okl izLrko ij fopkj ds fy, dk;Zokgh ij dksbZ Hkh vkifRrÙk ugha dh gSA izR;FkhZ Ø-4 dk ;g i{kdFku ugha gS fd vkKkid mica/kks dk vfrØe.k gqvk gSA fuokZpu lapkfyr djus ds fy,] efgyk lnL;ksa dks muds ernku es lgk;rk ds fy, ifr@HkkbZ dh lgk;rk pkgh xbZ gSA ;g ladYi ikfjr fd, tkus ls iwoZ Jherh xqM~MhckbZ }kjk mldk fojks/k ugha fd;k x;kA mlus viuk fojks/k jftLVj ugha djk;k FkkA ernku lu~ 1994 ds fu;eksa ds fu;e 5¼5½ ds vuqlkj gqvk FkkA izR;FkhZ Ø-4 dk ;g i{kdFku ugha gS fd efgyk lnL;ksa dks mudh bPNk ds fo#)] vfo‘okl izLrko ds i{k esa ernku djus ds fy, foo‘k fd;k x;k FkkA efgyk lnL;ksa dks fjV ;kfpdk esa i{kdkj ds :i esa la;ksftr ugha fd;k x;k gSA bl vfHkdFku ds vHkko esa fd efgyk lnL;ksa }kjk ernku muds ifr ds izHkkok/khu fd;k x;k Fkk] rhu&pkSFkkbZ cgqer }kjk ikfjr vfo‘okl izLrko ‘kwU; ugha fd;k tk ldrkA ¿ iSjk 20À

       ¼2½ Hkkjr dk lafo/kku && vuq- 226 && in/kkjh vfo‘okl izLrko }kjk okil Hkstk vFkok gVk;k x;k && in ds fy, fuokZpu lE;d~:is.k vk;ksftr rFkk in Hkjk x;k && fjV ;kfpdk mfpr mipkj ugha && fuokZpu vthZ Qkby dh tkuk pkfg,A

        vihykFkhZ ds dkmUlsy ds fuosnu fd;k fd vfo‘okl izLrko ikfjr fd, tkus ds i‘pkr~ u, fljs ls fuokZpu fd;k x;k gS rFkk vihykFkhZ lE;d~:i ls fuokZfpr gks xbZ gS blfy, mldk fuokZpu vikLr ugha fd;k tk ldrk tc rd fd fuokZpu vthZ Qkby ugha dh tk,A ¿ iSjk 16À

        vfHkfu/kkZfjr % v/;{k ds in ds fy, 6-9-2002 dks u, fljs ls fuokZpu vk;ksftr fd;k x;k rFkk vihykFkhZ v/;{k fuokZfpr dh xbZA vr% fjV ;kfpdk dh ;kph dks miyC/k ,dek= mipkj ;g Fkk fd og vfo‘okl izLrko mfpr :i ls ikfjr ugha fd, tkus dk vFkok mls miyC/k fdlh vU; vk/kkj dk vfHkdFku djrs gq, fuokZpu vthZ ds ek/;e ls fuokZpu ij vk{ksi djrhA 2003¼1½ fof/k HkkLoj 119 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 20À

       ¼3½ iapk;r jkt ,oa xzke Lojkt vf/kfu;e] 1993 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 35¼4½ && ea=h dks ‘kfDr izR;k;ksftr ugha && og fookn dh lquokbZ rFkk fofu‘p; ugha dj ldrkA ¿ iSjk 5À

       ¼4½ iapk;r ¼xzke iapk;r ds ljiap rFkk miljiap] tuin iapk;r rFkk ftyk iapk;r ds v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko½ fu;e] 1994 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 3¼3½ && vis{kk,¡ vkKkid ugha] vfirq funs‘kkRed gSa && dkuwu es vis{kk,¡ O;fDr ds fgr es vkKkid gksa rc Hkh && og O;fDr mUgsa vf/kR;Dr dj ldrk gS ;fn yksd fgr varoZfyr ugha gksA 2002¼2½ ts ,y ts 253 ¼iw.kZ U;k;ihB½] 1997¼1½ fof/k HkkLoj 49 rFkk 1998¼1½ ts ,y ts 113 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 10À

       ¼5½ iapk;r ¼xzke iapk;r ds ljiap rFkk miljiap] tuin iapk;r rFkk ftyk iapk;r ds v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko½ fu;e] 1994 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 5¼5½ && vfo‘okl izLrko ds fy, ernku dk <ax lE;d~:is.k fofgr && gkFk mBk dj ernku vfrØked gSA 2003¼1½ fof/k HkkLoj 101 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 12À

       ¼6½ xzke iapk;r ¼ljiap rFkk miljiap ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko½ fu;e] 1964 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 3¼2½ && mica/k funs‘kkRed gS && izLrko ds i{k esa rFkk fojks/k esa ernku djus okys iapksa ds uke dh izfof"V djus esa foQyrk && ladYi vfof/kekU; ugha gks tkrk && izLrko U;kf;d vf/kdkjh dh mifLFkfr esa ikfjr && dk;Zikyd vf/kdkjh dh mifLFkfr ls vfof/kekU; ugha gks tkrkA 1975 ts ,y ts 386 voyafcrA ¼1994½2 ,l lh lh 50 vuqlfjrA ¿ iSjk 13À

       ¼7½ flfoy lsod && ds fo#) foHkkxh; tk¡p] fdlh vk‘k; lHkh izfØ;kRed mic/k@mica/kksa dk vfrØe.k && izfrdwy izHkko ds] tks lkfcr fd;k tkuk gksrk gS] vHkko esa tk¡p nwf"kr ugha gksrhA , vkb vkj 1996 ,l lh 1669 vuqlfjrA ¿ iSjk 14À

       ¼8½ iapk;r ¼xzke iapk;r ds ljiap rFkk miljiap] tuin iapk;r rFkk ftyk iapk;r ds v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko½ fu;e] 1994 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 3¼3½ && vfo‘okl izLrko && ljiap dks cksyus ugha fn;k && mlds }kjk f‘kdk;r ugha dh xbZ && cgqer }kjk ikfjr && vfo‘okl izLrko vikLr ugha fd;k tk ldrkA 1999¼1½ fof/k HkkLoj 4 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 15À

       ¼9½ iapk;r ¼xzke iapk;r ds ljiap rFkk miljiap] tuin iapk;r rFkk ftyk iapk;r ds v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl izLrko½ fu;e] 1994 ¼e-iz-½ && fu- 5¼4½ && rFkk 5¼5½ && izLrko ij ppkZ djus dh vuqKk ugha nh xbZ && ;kph Lo;a mifLFkr Fkk rc ,sls vuuqikyu ls Hkh vfo‘okl izLrko vfof/kekU; ugha gksrkA 1997¼2½ ts ,y ts 397 voyafcrA ¿ iSjk 16À

       ¼10½ vf/kR;tu && rFkk foca/k && fof/k ds fo#) izofrZr ugha gksrsA ¼1998½2 ,l lh lh 502 vuqlfjrA ¿ iSjk 17À

       ¼11½ fuokZpu && ,d ckj in ij fuokZfpr gksus ij && in/kkjh laiw.kZ inkof/k ds fy, in /kkj.k djus dk gdnkj gS tc rd mldk fuokZpu fof/k ds v/khu vikLr ugha dj fn;k tk,A 2003¼1½ ,e ih ts vkj 12 voyafcr , vkb vkj 2001 ,l lh 2524 vuqlfjrA ¿ iSjk 17À