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IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA

AT HYDERABAD

THE HONOURABLE SMT. JUSTICE T. MADHAVI DEVI

WRIT PETITION NO.39819 OF 2025

DATED : 24.12.2025

Between

Eesam Sravanthi

... Petitioner

AND

The State of Telangana

Represented by its Principal Secretary,

Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department,

Secretariat, Hyderabad and 6 others

... Respondents

O R D E R

This Writ Petition is filed seeking the following relief:

“…to issue a writ or order or direction more particularly one

in the nature of Writ of mandamus declaring the candidature

of Respondent No. 7 as invalid due to deliberate non-

disclosure of the criminal history in column no. 3 and 4 of the

nomination document in absolute violation of the Rule 8(3) of

the Telangana Panchayat Raj (Conduct of Elections) Rules,

2018 and Sections 33, 33A and 125A(ii) of The

Representation of the People Act, 1951 alternatively, declare

the inaction of the Respondent Authorities herein in

considering the representation of the Petitioner herein in

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recounting of the polled votes as illegal, arbitrary and

unconstitutional and in violation of Rule 60 of the Telangana

Panchayat Raj (Conduct of Elections) Rules, 2018 and

consequently direct the Respondent Authorities to recount the

votes polled in the election conducted for the post of

Sarpanch of Anantaram Gram Panchayat, Julurupadu

Mandal, Bhadradri-Kothagudem District and pass…”

2. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Government

Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, appearing for

respondents No.1 & 3, Sri G. Vidya Sagar, learned Senior Counsel

representing Sri P. Sudheer Rao, learned Standing Counsel for State

Election Commission, appearing for respondent No.6, learned

Government Pleader for Revenue, appearing for respondent No.2 & 5

and Sri K. Pradeep Reddy, learned Standing Counsel for Gram

Panchayat appearing for respondent No.4.

3. The petitioner claims to be one of the contestants for the post of

Sarpanch of the concerned Gram Panchayat and that he has secured 262

votes as against the successful candidate, i.e., respondent No.7 herein,

who secured 263 votes. It is submitted that initially the petitioner was

declared as elected, but subsequently respondent No.7 was declared as

elected. According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, respondent

W.P. No.39819 of 2025

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No.7 was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for an offence

under Section 302 of IPC, but the same was not disclosed by him in the

declaration submitted along with the nomination form. Therefore, it is in

violation of the Election Rules and therefore, there should be direction

for disqualification of respondent No.7 as Sarpanch of the concerned

Gram Panchayat. The petitioner claims to have submitted a written

representation dt.18.12.2025, bringing the above submissions to the

notice of authorities and requesting recounting of votes pertaining to the

elections for the post of Sarpanch in respect of Anantaram Village,

Julurupadu Mandal, Bhadradri-Kothagudem District. The grievance of

the petitioner is that the said representation has not been considered by

the official respondents. The petitioner is therefore seeking a direction to

the official respondents to conduct recounting of votes and to grant such

other relief.

4. Learned Standing Counsel appearing for the State Election

Commission, has forwarded a copy of the Circular dt.21.05.2018,

according to which, if any false information is given or information is

suppressed in the declaration form filed along with the nomination

papers, it is an offence under Section 177 of IPC read with Section 195

of Cr.P.C., 1973 and a prosecution can be allowed. He further relied

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upon the Circular No.170/TSEC-PR/2018, dt.21.05.2018 issued by the

Telangana Election Commission, wherein it is prescribed that where self

declarations have been filed in complete form, then the nomination

should not be rejected by the Returning Officer on the sole ground that

the information furnished in th