2007 Supreme(MP) 1165

2008(2) JLJ 26
A.M. Naik, J.
Sunita Patel (Smt.) v. Collector and others
Writ Petition No. 19078 of 2006 with Writ Petition No. 18174 of 2006
(Jabalpur); Decided on 6.12.2007.

Headnote:(1) Panchayat Raj Evam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam, 1993 (M.P.) -- S.21(4) -- motion of no-confidence can be challenged by Surpanch or up-Surpanch against whom the same has been passed -- none other than Sarpanch or up-Sarpanch has any authority to challenge the motion so passed under this provision -- writ petition on behalf of Sarpanch or upSarpanch is maintainable.

       11 Panchas voted in favour of no-confidence motion whereas 3 panchas voted against it. One vote was declared invalid. Since the no-confidence motion was not passed by 3/4th of the panchas present in voting, the same was rejected vide Annexure P-l, dated 15.9.2006. An appeal was preferred against it by respondent No.3 who was merely a Panch. It has been allowed vide the impugned order Annexure P-3, dated 24.11.2006. The learned Collector, Katni observed that the intention of the voter ought to have been ascertained and the same being ascertainable, the vote held to be invalid by the Presiding Officer could not have been rejected on technicality. The said vote was treated as valid in favour of no-confidence motion and accordingly, it was held that the no confidence motion was passed by 12 votes.

       Aforesaid order marked as Annexure P-3 is under challenge in the writ petition on the ground that the appeal before the Collector, Katni on behalf of one of the panchas was not maintainable. [Paras 2 & 3

       A serious defence has been raised by Shri A.P. Singh, learned counsel that an alternative remedy of preferring dispute before the Collector is available to the up-Sarpanch namely Smt. Sunita Patel and her petition is not maintainable. [Para 5

       Held : It is the Sarpanch or up-Sarpanch alone against whom a no-confidence motion is passed, is competent to prefer a dispute before the Collector. Since no-confidence motion was not passed against Smt. Sunita Patel (petitioner in WP No.19078/2006) she was not competent to refer the dispute to the Collector, Katni. Secondly, it is only when a no-confidence motion is carried out that a dispute may be referred to Collector. The words "motion carried out under sub-section (1)" occurring in sub-section (4) of section 21 of the M.P. Pane hay at Raj Evam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam, 1993 would mean that when q. no-confidence motion is successfully passed. No other meaning could be assigned to this expression because if a no-confidence motion fails, Sarpanch or up-Sarpanch as the case may be would not be the person aggrieved at all. Considering this, no dispute against the failure of no-confidence motion could have been raised by Smt. Sunita Patel under sub-section (4) and accordingly, I hold the writ petition to be well maintainable. [Para 6

       (2) Panchayats (Appeal and Revision) Rules, 1995 (M.P.) -- R.3 -M.P Panchayat Raj Evam Gram Swaraj Adhiniyam, 1993 -- S.21(4) -no-confidence motion passed -- can be challenged U/S 21 (4) by aggrieved Surpanch or up-Sarpanch -- appeal against such motion -- likewise can be preferred by such aggrieved alone. [Para 7

       (3) Panchayat (Gram Panchayat Ke Sarpanch Tatha up-Sarpanch, Janpad Panchayat Tatha Zila Panchayat Ke President Tatha Vice President Ke Viruddh Avishwas Prastav) Niyam, 1994 (M.P.) -- R.5(5) -- M.P. Panchayat Nirvachan Niyam, 1995 -- R.76(a) and 76(h) -- Nirvachan Niyam is applicable to no-confidence motion -- symbol on vote not put according to rules -- such vote is liable to be rejected. AIR 1993 SC 367 and AIR 1990 SC 838 followed. 1998(1) JLJ 397 distinguished. [Paras 10 & 15

       ¼1½ iapk;r jkt ,oa xzke Lojkt vf/kfu;e] 1993 ¼e-ç-½& &/kkjk 21¼4½& &vfo‘okl çLrko ml ljiap vFkok mi&ljiap }kjk vk{ksfir fd;k tk ldrk gS ftlds fo#) og ikfjr fd;k x;k gS& &bl mica/k ds v/khu ikfjr ,sls çLrko dks vk{ksfir djus dh ljiap ;k mi&ljiap ds vfrfjDr] ftlds fo#) og ikfjr fd;k x;k gS] fdlh Hkh vU; dks dksbZ çkf/kdkj ugha gS& &ljiap ;k mi&ljiap dh vksj ls fjV ;kfpdk pykbZ tk ldrh gSA

       11 iapksa us vfo‘okl çLrko ds i{k esa ernku fd;k tcfd 3 iapksa us mlds fo#) ernku fd;kA ,d er vfof/kekU; ?kksf"kr fd;k x;k D;ksafd vfo‘okl çLrko ernku esa mifLFkr 3@4 iapksa }kjk ikfjr ugha fd;k x;k Fkk] og mikca/k ih&1] fnukad 15-9-2006 }kjk ukeatwj fd;k x;kA çR;FkhZ Ø-3 }kjk mlds fo#) vihy dh xbZ tks ek= iap FkkA og vk{ksfir vkns‘k mikca/k ih&3 fnukad 24-11-2006 }kjk eatwj dh xbZ gSA fo}ku dyDVj] dVuh }kjk leqfDr dh xbZ fd ernkrk dk vk‘k; vfHkfuf‘pr fd;k tkuk Fkk rFkk ogh vfHkfu‘ps; gksus ds dkj.k] ihBklhu vf/kdkjh }kjk vfof/kekU; vfHkfu.khZr er çkfof/kdÙkkvksa ij ukeatwj ugha fd;k tk ldrk FkkA mDr er vfo‘okl çLrko ds i{k esa fof/kekU; ekuk x;k rFkk rnuqlkj] vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k x;k fd vfo‘okl çLrko 12 erksa }kjk ikfjr fd;k x;k FkkA

       mikca/k ih&3 ds :i esa fpfgur mi;qZDr vkns‘k fjV ;kfpdk esa bl vk/kkj ij vk{ksfir gS fd iapksa esa ls ,d dh vksj ls dyDVj] dVuh ds le{k vihy pykus ;ksX; ugha FkhA ¼iSjk 2 ,oa 3½

       ,-ih- flag] fo}ku dkmUlsy }kjk xaHkhj çfrokn fd;k x;k gS fd dyDVj ds le{k fookg çLrqr djus dk vkuqdfYid mipkj mi&ljiap uker% Jherh lquhrk iVsy dks miyC/k gS rFkk bldh ;kfpdk xzkg; ugha gSA ¼iSjk 15½

       vfHkfu/kkZfjr % ek= og ljiap vFkok mi&ljiap gh dyDVj] dVuh ds le{k fookn çLrqr djus ds fy, l{ke gS ftlds fo#) vfo‘okl çLrko ikfjr fd;k x;k gS D;ksafd vfo‘okl çLrko Jherh lquhrk iVsy ¼fjV ;kfpdk Ø- 19078 lu~ 2006 esa ;kph½ ds fo#) ikfjr ugha Fkk] og dyDVj] dVuh ds le{k fookn fufnZ"V djus ds fy, l{ke ugha FkhA f}rh;r% vfo‘okl çLrko ikfjr fd, tkus ij gh dksbZ fookn dyDVj dks fufnZ"V fd;k tk ldrk gSA e-ç- iapk;r jkt ,oa xzke Lojkt vf/kfu;e] 1993 dh /kkjk 21 dh mi/kkjk ¼4½ esa ç;qDr ^^mi/kkjk ¼1½ ds v/khu ikfjr fd, x, çLrko** ‘‘kCnksa dk vFkZ gS tc dksbZ vfo‘okl çLrko lQyrkiwoZd ikfjr fd;k x;k gSA bl vfHkO;fDr dk dksbZ vU; vFkZ ugha yxk;k tk ldrk D;ksafd ;fn dksbZ vfo‘okl çLrko vlQy jgrk gS rc ;FkkfLFkfr ljiap vFkok ljiap O;fFkr gksus okyk O;fDr gksxk gh ughaA ;g fopkj esa j[krs gq,] Jherh lquhrk iVsy }kjk vfo‘okl çLrko dh vlQyrk ds fo#) mi/kkjk ¼4½ ds v/khu dksbZ fookn ugha mBk;k tk ldrk Fkk rFkk] rnuqlkj] eSa fjV ;kfpdk dks Hkyh Hkkafr pykus ;ksX; vfHkfu/kkZfjr djrk gw¡A ¼iSjk 6½

       ¼2½ iapk;r ¼vihy rFkk iqujh{k.k½ fu;e] 1995 ¼e-ç-½& &fu-3& &e-ç- iapk;r jkt ,oa xzke Lojkt vf/kfu;e] 1993& &/kkjk 21 ¼4½& &vfo‘okl çLrko ikfjr& &OfFkr ljiap ;k mi&ljiap }kjk /kkjk 21¼4½ ds v/khu vk{ksfir fd;k tk ldrk gS& &mlh çdkj ,sls çLrko ds fo#) vihy& &ek= ,sls O;fFkr O;fDr }kjk gh dh tk ldrh gSA ¼iSjk 7½

       ¼3½ iapk;r ¼xzke iapk;r ds ljiap rFkk mi&ljiap] tuin iapk;r rFkk ftyk iapk;r ds v/;{k rFkk mik/;{k ds fo#) vfo‘okl çLrko½ fu;e] 1994 ¼e-ç-½& &fu-5 ¼5½& &e-ç- iapk;r fuokZpu fu;e] 1995& &fue 76¼d½ rFkk 65¼t½& &fuokZpu fu;e vfo‘okl çLrko ij ykxw gSa& &eri= ij fu;eksa ds vuqlkj fpgu ugha yxk;k x;k& &,slk er çfr{ksfir fd, tkus ;ksX; gSA , vkb vkj 1993 ,l lh 367 rFkk , vkb vkj 1990 ,l lh 838 vuqlfjrA 1998¼1½ ts ,y ts 397 çHksfnrA ¼iSjk 10 ,oa 15½