(HIGH COURT)
Rajendra Menon and Alok Verma, JJ.
Kamal Kant Bhardwaj v. State of M.P. and others
Writ Appeal No.663 of 2014 (Jabalpur); against the order of writ Court passed in Writ Petition No.11989 of 2014;
Decided on 25.8.2014.
Municipalities Act, 1961 (M.P.) -- S.47(2) -- proceedings by Collector -- will be assumed to be done in accordance with law until and unless adduced maternal shows otherwise.
Held : In the facts and circumstances of the case, we are of the considered view that a reasonable procedure has been followed, which does show that procedure adopted by the Collector is in accordance with the requirement of law and on the basis of material adduced, we are unable to hold that record of satisfaction is not proper or does not meet the requirement of law. It is not necessary that the Collector should conduct a enquiry with regard to identity of persons as submitted on behalf of the appellant. The affidavits filed by the 12 Councillors and their photo identity card along with the report of the Chief Executive Officer are sufficient enough to record the satisfaction about their identity and if the list and other documents submitted by the Chief Executive Officer also supports the same, the Collector can proceed in the matter by recording the satisfaction and in doing so as is done in this case, we are of the considered view that the Collector has not committed any error. 2008(4) MPLJ 316 relied on. 2005(3) JLJ 251 (FB) and 2005(2) JLJ 339(FB) discussed.
Menon, J. -- 1. This appeal has been filed by the appellant under section 2(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Uchcha Nyayalaya (Khand Nyaya Peeth Ko Appeal) Adhiniyam, 2005. The appellant feels aggrieved by an order dated 7.8.2014 passed by the writ Court in W.P. No.11989/2014 by which the writ petition filed by the petitioner in the matter of proposing to proceed with certain action for recall of a President of a duly elected Municipal Council under section 47 of the M.P. Municipalities Act, 1961, is decided by the writ Court.
2. The facts in nut-shell goes to show that appellant is the elected President of Municipal Council, Chhanera (New Harsud), District Khandwa and after he had worked as such for a period of two years four months and 46 days, 12 elected Councilors of Municipal Council (namely the interveners herein) submitted a No Confidence Motion for recall of the President before the Collector. The Collector having recorded his satisfaction under section 47(2) of the Municipalities Act, 1961, matter was challenged in the writ Court and the same having been dismissed, this appeal under section 2(1) of the Madhya Pradesh Uchcha Nyayalaya (Khand Nyaya Peeth Ko Appeal) Adhiniyam, 2005.
3. Shri T. S. Ruprah, learned Senior Counsel invited our attention to the provisions of section 47(2) of the Act of 1961 and argued that before forwarding the proposal for recall to the State Government, the Collector has to record his satisfaction with regard to the fact that 3/4th of the Councilors have signed the proposal for recall and further that they are the elected Councilors. It is said that in this case, recording of satisfaction by the Collector is not in accordance with law. Shri Ruprah invited our attention to the note sheets available on record and maintained in the office of the Collector dated 23.7.2012 Annexure P/2 and the subsequent order sheet Annexure P/3 dated 24.7.2014 to say that without properly verifying the identity and correctness of the 12 Councilors who are said to have appeared before the Collector and submitted the proposal, the Collector has proceeded in the matter which according to Shri Ruprah, learned Senior Counsel, is not a proper way of recording the satisfaction. It was submitted by him that the District Head Quarter, Khandwa, where the Collector sits and the Municipal Council in question is at a distance of 82 kms and the Collector within one day has conducted the verification which is not correct. He tried to emphasize that merely showing the presence of Councilors before him and by accepting the affidavit submitted by them and getting their signatures on the order sheet, the Collector seems to have recorded his satisfaction as required under section 47(2) which is not proper. It is emphasized that for the purpose of verifying the identity, signatures and various aspects of the matter for recording satisfaction, the Collector should have caused an enquiry into the matter and this having not done, it is stated that the entire statutory requirement as contemplated under section 47(2) for the purpose of recording the satisfaction of Collector is not done in accordance with law. Shri Ruprah submitted that while dealing with the matter, learned writ Court has placed reliance on the judgment of Full Bench of this Court in the case of State of M.P. and others v. Mahendra Kumar Saraf and others – (2005)3 JLJ 251 (FB) = 2005(3) MPLJ 578 but in this judgment the question considered was with regard to presence of the Councilors at the time of presentation of the motion for No Confidence before the Collector and requirement of their personal presence for the verification and signatures. It is emphasized by Shri Ruprah that in this case, the appellant is not challenging the fact with regard to presence of Councilors but is only challenging the manner in which enquiry required for identification of the Councilors and enquiry as to whether they are elected Councilors or not is undertaken. It is stated that judgment in t
SupremeToday
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.