IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 11TH DAY OF MARCH, 2019 BEFORE THE HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE S. SUNIL DUTT YADAV WRIT PETITION NO.56222 OF 2018 (LB-ELE) BETWEEN :
MR. CHANDRANNA SON OF JAVARAPPA, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, HONORARY PRESIDENT, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI PANCHAYATH SIRA, TUMKUR-572125.
(BY SRI RAVI SHANKAR, ADVOCATE) ... PETITIONER AND :
1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT & PANCHAYATH RAJ, M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU-560001.
2. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER MADHUGIRI SUB-DIVISION, MADHUGIRI-572125.
3. EXECUTIVE OFFICER TALUK PANCHAYATH, SIRA TALUK, SIRA, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
4. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (GRA,U) TALUK PANCHAYATH, SIRA TALUK, SIRA, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
5. GOPAL DEVARALLI PANCHAYATH GOPAL DEVARAHALLI, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125, REPRESENTED BY ITS PANCHAYATH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER.
6. LAKSHMAKKA WIFE OF SHIVANNA, AGED 40YERAS, HOSABIJJANABELLA, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMKURU DISTRICT-572125.
7. T. RAJANNA SON OF THIMMANNA, AGED ABOUT 42 YEARS, HOSBIJJANABELLA, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMKURU DISTRICT-572125.
8. BOMMAIAH LINGA SWAMY SON OF S.B.MAHALINGAIAH, AGED ABOUT 38 YEARS, SHIDLEKONA, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
9. GIRISH SON OF LATE MOODALAGIRIYAPPA, AGED ABOUT 39 YEARS, BENCHE, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
10. SHANKARAPPA SON OF KAMBAIH, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS GOPAL DEVARAHLLI VILLAGE AND POST, SIRA TLAUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
11. VARALAKSHMI R.
DAUGHTER OF JAYARANGAPPA, AGED ABOUT 28 YEARS, BENCHE BASAVANAHALLI GATE, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
12. CHAITHANYA WIFE OF SURESH, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, BENCHE BASAVANAHALLI GATE, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI PSOT, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
13. MAHADEVAMMA WIFE OF MAHALINGAIAH, AGED ABOUT 30 YEARS, SHIDLEKONA, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
14. GEETHAMMA WIFE OF CHAMARAJU, AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, BENCHE, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
15. JAYAMMA WIFE OF NINGAPPA, AGED ABOUT 50 YEARS, BENCHE, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
16. YASHODAMMA AGED ABOUT 32 YEARS, BOTTIGANA HALLI, GOPAL DEVARAHALLI POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMKURU DISTRICT-572125.
17. TUKKU BAI WIFE OF CHANDRASHEKAR RAO, AGED ABOUT 52 YEARS, BOTTIGANAHALLI, DODDA AGRAHARA POST, SIRA TALUK.
TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
18. PUTTATHAYAMMA WIFE OF KRISHNAPPA, AGED ABOUT 35 YEARS, OBLE HALLI, DODDA AGRAHARA POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
19. KARIYAMMA WIFE OF JAYARAMAIAH, AGED ABOUT 34 YEARS YARAMADANAHALLI, DODDA AGRAHARA POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT 572125.
20. BHOOTHANNA SON OF MALLAIAH, AGED ABOUT 45 YEARS, YARAMADANA HALLI, DODDA AGRAHARA POST, SIRA TALUK, TUMAKURU DISTRICT-572125.
... RESPONDENTS (BY SRI M.A. SUBRAMANI, H.C.G.P. FOR R1 AND R2; R3 & R4 ARE SERVED;
SRI G. R. SRINIVAS, ADVOCATE FOR R6 TO R20) THIS PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO QUASH THE NOTICE DATED 12.12.2018 ISSUED BY R-2 MARKED AS ANNEXURE-H BY ISSUING A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF CERTIORARI.
THIS PETITION COMING ON FOR ORDERS THIS DAY, THE COURT MADE THE FOLLOWING :
ORDER Petitioner, who is the President of Gopal Devarahalli Panchayath, Sira, Tumakuru, had challenged the notice issued at Annexure-H whereby the Assistant Commissioner had convened a meeting on 28.12.2018 to consider the Motion of No-confidence moved by the members. This Court by order dated 20.12.2018 had passed an interim order of stay of the said notice issued by the Assistant Commissioner while noticing that the complaint contained certain allegations. The complaint of the members is produced at Annexure-A and the allegations made are reproduced below for reference :
“PÀ£ÁðlPÀ ¥ÀAZÁAiÀÄvï gÁeï PÁAiÉÄÝ C¢ü¤AiÀĪÀÄ 1993gÀ C£ÀéAiÀÄ UÁæªÀÄ ¥ÀAZÁAiÀÄw DAiÀĪÀåAiÀÄ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ ¯ÉPÀÌ¥ÀvÀæUÀ¼ÀÄ ¤AiÀĪÀÄUÀ¼ÀÄ 2006, CzsÁåAiÀÄ 6 gÀ ¤AiÀĪÀÄ 54 gÀAvÉ gÀÆ.1,000 QÌAvÀ ªÉÄîàlÖ ªÉÆvÀÛUÀ¼À£ÀÄß CPËAmï ¥Éà ZÉPïUÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¤ÃqÀ¨ÉÃPÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ ºÁUÀÆ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ DyðPÀ ¸ÀA»vÉ 195 gÀ ¤AiÀĪÀÄ 72(J) ¤AiÀĪÀÄzÀ°è gÀÆ.1000 QÌAvÀ ªÉÄîàlÖ ªÉÆvÀÛUÀ½UÉ CPËAmï ¥Éà ZÉPïUÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¤ÃqÀ¨ÉÃPÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. DzÀÝjAzÀ F ªÉÄîÌAqÀ AiÉÆÃd£ÉUÀ¼À MlÄÖ ªÉÆvÀÛ gÀÆ.4,81,887/- UÀ¼ÀÄ vÁvÀÌ°PÀ ºÀt zÀÄgÀÄ¥ÀAiÉÆÃUÀªÁVgÀĪÀ §UÉÎ PÀAqÀħA¢gÀÄvÀÛzÉ.
14£Éà ºÀtPÁ¸ÀÄ AiÉÆÃd£ÉAiÀÄr ªÀÄAdÆgÁVgÀĪÀ QæÃAiÀiÁ AiÉÆÃd£ÉAiÀÄÄ ¤AiÀĪÀiÁ£ÀĸÁgÀªÁVzÀÄÝ ªÉZÀÑ ¨Àsj¸ÀĪÁUÀ «zÀÄåvï G¥ÀPÀgÀtUÀ½UÁV Cwà ºÉZÀÄÑ CAzÀgÉ ªÀÄAdÆgÁzÀ QæAiÀiÁ AiÉÆÃd£ÉUÉ gÀÆ.35,22,338/- UÀ¼À°è MlÄÖ gÀÆ.15,76,715/-UÀ¼À£ÀÄß ªÉZÀÑ ªÀiÁqÀ¯ÁVzÀÄÝ, ªÀÄAdÆgÁzÀ QæAiÀiÁ AiÉÆÃd£É CzÀsðzÀµÀÄÖ ªÉÆvÀÛªÀ£ÀÄß CªÉÊeÁÕ¤PÀªÁV ©Ã¢ ¢Ã¥ÀUÀ¼À RjâUÁV ªÉZÀÑ ¨sÀj¸À¯ÁVzÉ.
UÁæªÀÄ ¥ÀAZÁ¬Äw ªÁå¦ÛAiÀÄ°è ªÀ¸ÀÆ°AiÀiÁzÀ ««zsÀ PÀgÀUÀ¼À ºÀtªÀ£ÀÄß ªÀ¸ÀÆ°AiÀiÁzÀ ªÉÆvÀÛQÌAvÀ PÀrªÉÄAiÀiÁV dªÉÄ ªÀiÁqÀ¯ÁVzÉ.”
2. It is clear that said complaint of the members contained allegations. Upon notice, counsel appearing on behalf of respondents No.6 to 20 has filed a Memo stating that they do not intend to press their application for vacation of the interim order and submission is made that they do not intend to continue with the complaint made.
3. Taking note of the allegations made and submission on behalf of counsel for respondents No.6 to 20 noticing that the complaint contains allegations, the notice at Annexure-H is set aside as the complaint contains allegations and in the light of the law laid down by the Division Bench in Smt. Lakshmamma v. State of Karnataka and Others reported in 2019(1) Kar.L.J. 94, wherein it has been observed that till necessary Rules are framed, no Motion for No- confidence with allegation which would come within the ambit of Section 49(2) of the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993, could be entertained or considered. Accordingly, Annexure-H is set aside.
4. However, liberty is reserved to the members to submit fresh Motion of No-confidence in accordance with law. If such Motion is submitted, the Assistant Commissioner to ensure that there is no lapse in terms of processing the said Motion of No-confidence in terms of the Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Motion of No- confidence against Adhyaksha and Upadhyaksha of Grama Panchayat) Rules, 1994. Petition is accordingly disposed of, subject to the above observations.
5. In the light of disposal of the matter, no orders are required. I.A. No.1 of 2019 is filed for vacating the interim order. The said application is dismissed in the light of the Memo filed by counsel for respondents No.6 to 20.
Accordingly, petition is disposed of subject to the above observations.
Sd/- JUDGE hnm