IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK W.P.(C) No.2165 of 2026

1. The Villagers of … Petitioners Sunapala under .

Koleswar Gram Panchayat under the Badamba Block, Dist.

Cuttack represented through Manas Ranjan Tarasia

2. Soumyaranjan Mishra

3. Debraj Naik Mr. S. Mohanty, Advocate -versus-

1. State of Odisha, …. Opposite Parties represented through Commissioner-cum-

Secretary to Government, Housing &

Urban Development Department

2. Director, Municipal Administration & Ex-

Officio Additional Secretary to Govt. of Odisha, Lok Seva Bhawan

3. The Collector, Cuttack

4. The Sub-Collector, Athagarh

5. Block Development Officer, Badamba Mr. S.K. Swain, AGA CORAM: JUSTICE V. NARASINGH

ORDER

27.01.2026 Order No.

02. 1. Heard learned counsel for the Petitioners and the learned counsel for the State.

2. The grievance of the Petitioners who are the villagers of Sunapala under Koleswar Gram Panchayat, is non-inclusion of the village in Badamba N.A.C in terms of Section 4 of the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950.

3. It is submitted by the learned counsel that the Govt. of Odisha, Housing and Urban Development, by notification dated 22.12.2025 at Annexure-2 have treated the following nine villages as transitional areas to be converted to N.A.C in terms of the Section 4 of the Odisha Municipal Act. It is alleged that though the Petitioners’ village is qualified in every respect, the same has been left out.

4. It is further stated that ventilating their grievance, the Petitioners have filed a representation to the Collector, Cuttack and a copy thereof has also been endorsed to Hon’ble Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Govt. of Odisha and the concerned MLA.

5. It is stated that though the representation has been made since 08.01.2026, no action has been taken and alleging inaction in respect thereof the present writ petition has been filed.

6. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the State that the writ petition is pre-mature and the same ought not to be entertained.

7. Considering the grievance as stated by the Petitioners in their representation, the writ petition is disposed of calling upon the Opposite Parties 1 to 3 to consider the representation of the Petitioners at Annexure-4 within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order along with a copy of the writ petition. Till such period, no consequential action in terms of the Annexure-2 shall be taken.

8. It is needless to state that while considering the representation of the Petitioners which is at Annexure-4, the affected parties shall be given an opportunity of hearing and the decision so taken shall be intimated to the Petitioners.

(V. NARASINGH Judge Soumya Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed Signed by: SOUMYA RANJAN SAMAL Designation: Jr. Stenographer Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa Date: 28-Jan-2026 18:08:26