Notice. Mr. Surender Sharma, learned counsel, and Mr. L.N. Sharma, learned Additional Advocate General appear and waive service of notice on behalf of the respective respondents.

Petitioners seek a direction to the respondents to enter their names in the voter list of Gram Panchayat Dan, Tehsil Chachiot, District Mandi.

Heard learned counsel for the parties and considered the case file.

Petitioners case is that they had been casting their vote in Gram Panchayat, Vidhan Sabha and also Parliamentary Elections. They have placed on record voter list at Annexure P-3, reflecting their names at Sr. No. 132, 133, 136, 137, 138, 139, 200, 201, 202 & 203 of Gram Panchayat Dan, which was prepared during the last Panchayati Raj Elections held in the year 2020. According to the petitioners, their names are not there in the voters list/electoral rolls. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that right to cast vote is constitutional right provided under Article 326 of the Constitution of India. Petitioners’ right have been infringed by the respondents without there being any fault on their part.

Chapter III of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj (Election Rules), 1994, pertains to ‘Electoral