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1985 Supreme(MP) 284

HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH
C.P. Sen & S. Awasthy, JJ.
Balkrishan Patel
Vs
Brijendra Patel and others
M.P. No. 3178 of 1984;
Decided on: 18-4-1985

Advocates Appeared:
N.K. Patel for petitioner;
V.K. Tankha for respondent No.1.

Headnote:(1) Panchayat Adhiniyam, 1981 (M.P.) -- S. 18 -- no-confidence motion -- how may be passed -- cannot be defeated for technical reasons.

       Section 18 of the Act requires a no confidence motion to be passed by two third members present and voting and the majority should be more than one half of the total number of members constituting the Gram Panchayat.

       It is settled view of this Court that if there is substantial compliance of this provision, a motion cannot be defeated for technical reasons and it is undemocratic to keep a person on the post when he lost majority. 1975 MPLJ-SN 3 & 1983 MPLJ-SN 8 relied on. [Para 3

       (2) Panchayats Adhiniyam, 1981 (M.P.) -- Ss. 18, 83 & 86 -- revision -- lies before the Collector against a no-confidence motion -- stay may also be granted.

       In the present enactment there is a power in the Collector or the Additional Collector to entertain a revision against a no confidence motion and even to pass an order of stay. But before passing an order, normally a no confidence motion cannot be defeated for technical reasons, even when there is sufficient compliance to section 18. [Para 3

       

ORDER

C.P. Sen, J.-1. In this writ petition, the petitioner is challenging the ad interim order of the Additional Collector dated 6-3-1984 directing the parties to maintain status quo regarding the no confidence motion passed by respondent No 1.

2. The respondent No.1 was an elected Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat, Baroda, Tahsil and District Jabalpur. The petitioner is an elected Panch of that Gram Panchayat. The petitioner and nine other Panchas moved a no confidence motion against respondent No.1 which was passed by 10 Panchas present and voting in favour of the resolution on 14-2-1984. There were in all 15 Panchas out of which five remained absent inspite of notice. The respondent No. 1 filed an appeal under section 83 of the M.P. Panchayats Act, 1981 before the Collector, Jabalpur and got an ad interim order. His main ground of attack was that there was no valid service of notice about the meeting on the remaining five Panchas. According to the petitioner, (i) no appeal is provided under section 83 of the Act against a, resolution of no confidence motion, and (ii) in view of section 18 of the Act, respondent No.1 ceased to hold the office of Sarpanch from the date immediately next after the date on which the no confidence motion was passed.

3. After having heard the parties, we are of the opinion that there is no merit in this petition. It is not disputed that under section 83 of the Act the Additional Collector is the prescribed authority who can call for and examine the record of any proceeding under this Act of any subordinate officer or any panchayat and if he is satisfied that the proceeding bas resulted in a miscarriage of justice, be shall pass such orders thereon as be deems fit; no order shall be made to the prejudice of any party unless such party has been given an opportunity of being beard. Therefore, the Additional Collector had the jurisdiction to entertain a revision against a no confidence motion passed by a Gram Panchayat, though this was wrongly styled as an appeal by respondent No.1 under section 309 of the M.P. Panchayats Act, 1962, which has been repealed, the State Government had the power to call for and examine the record of proceedings of a Gram Panchayat or any of its officers for the purpose of satisfying itself as to the legality or propriety of any order passed and may reverse or modify the order as it may deem just. There was no such power in the Collector or the Additional Collector. Under section 86 of the present Act there is an appeal or revision provided against the order or proceedings of a panchayat and other authorities under this Act and shall lie to such authority and in such manner as may be prescribed. So an appeal or revision lies against the final order that may be passed by the Collector or the Additional Collector under section 83. Under section 313 of the repealed Act such an appeal or revision lay against the order of a subordinate officer. There was no appeal or revision provided against the proceedings of a Gram Panchayat. Section 18 of the present Act requires a no confidence 'motion to be passed by two third' members present and voting and the majority should be more than one half of the total, number of members constituting the Gram, Panchayat. So in the present case this requirement was complied with. It is the settled view of this Court that if there is substantial compliance of this provision, a motion cannot be defeated for technical reasons and it is undemocratic to keep a person on the post when he lost majority. This Court in Bansilal Motilal v. Collector, West Nimar 1975 MPLJ-SN 3, has held that on passing a no confidence motion against the Sarpanch, the post of Sarpanch is automatically vacated: this effect cannot be arrested even by the operation of the stay order passed by the High Court. Such must be effect when a no confidence motion is passed in substantial compliance to section 18 of the Act. So, this Court in Motilal Ramchandra v. Gram Panchayat, Jamburdisrvar 1




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