IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of decision :19.02.2026 Kiran Wati …….Petitioner Versus State of Haryana and others ..…Respondents CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE HARSH BUNGER Present : Mr. Bhupender Singh, Advocate for the petitioner.

Ms. Upasana Dhawan, AAG, Haryana.

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HARSH BUNGER, J. [ORAL]

Prayer in the present petition filed under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India, is for issuance of a writ in the nature of Certiorari, for quashing the letter dated 11.02.2026 (Annexure P-4) issued by learned Block Development and Panchayat Officer, Kunjpura, District Karnal, whereby, he had called a meeting of Gram Panchayat, Village Kunjpura on 18.02.2026 for handing over the charge of Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat, Kunjpura, on account of termination of elected Sarpanch.

2. Briefly, one Smt. Suman was elected as a Sarpanch of village Kunjpura, however, she was terminated from the said post. It appears that vide resolution (Annexure P-2), voting was carried out amongst the members of the Gram Panchayat, Kunjpura for election of an authorized Panch, wherein, the present petitioner is stated to have secured 11 votes. It is further stated that on the basis of aforesaid resolution (Annexure P-2), the petitioner had approached the official respondents several times, requesting them to issue a certificate in favour of the petitioner declaring her as the authorized Panch, however no heed has been paid to her request. Thereafter, the petitioner is stated to have issued a legal notice dated 21.12.2025 (Annexure P-3) to concerned BDPO, which has also not been responded.

3. It transpires that vide office memo dated 11.02.2026 (Annexure P-4), the concerned Block Development and Panchayat Officer has called a metting of the Gram Panchayat on 18.02.2026 at 11:30 A.M. in his office for election of an authorized Panch. It is the said letter, which is impugned in the present writ petition.

4. At this stage, Ms. Upasana Dhawan, AAG, Haryana, appears and informs the Court that the petitioner has already filed a Civil Suit No. 31 of 2026 titled as ‘Kiranwati versus BDPO Kunjpura & Ors.’ before the Civil Court at Karnal, inter alia, with a prayer for issuance of mandatory injunction for handing over the charge of Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat, Kunjpura to the petitioner. It is submitted that the prayer for ad-interim stay made by the petitioner in the aforesaid suit, had already been declined vide order dated 07.01.2026. Learned State counsel has handed over a copy of the order dated 07.01.2026 in Court today, which is taken on record, subject to just all exceptions.

4.1 The relevant extract of the order dated 07.01.2026, reads as under:-

“CS-31-2026 Kiranwati Vs. BDPO Kunjpura & Ors.

Present: Sh. Dalbir Singh, counsel for plaintiff.

Shri Naveen, SEPO, Kunjpura in person on behalf of defendants no. 1 & 3. (Authority letter filed).

Defendant no. 2 in person.

Shri Joginder Singh Rana, counsel for the defendant . (POA filed).

Authority letter filed on behalf of defendants no. 1 & 3. The defendant no. 2 has also appeared in person. Power of attorney filed on behalf of defendant no. 4. Service completed.

Arguments heard on ad-interim stay. The counsel for the plaintiff argued that a letter was issued by the defendants no. 1 to 3 for meeting on 17.12.2025 for the purpose of election of Sarpanch, village Kunjpura. The plaintiff being member of Gram Panchayat arranged for 11 members votes in her favour and went for the meeting. In the said meeting, the votes in favour of plaintiff were recorded in writing, a copy of the same has been attached with the plaint. However, the defendants no. 1 to 3 never took any decision on the same regardless of the facts that plaintiff had majority of votes. Therefore, the defendants illegally issued another letter dated 31.12.2025 for calling the meeting for election of Sarpanch. The counsel for plaintiff argued that the same is null and void and hence, be stayed.

On the other hand, the counsel for the defendant no. 4 a