Kumud Ranjan Halder And ORS v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

11.05.2022 Sl. No.17 srm W.P.A. No. 1151 of 2022 Kumud Ranjan Halder & Ors.

Versus

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. Sabyasachi Chatterjee, Mr. Sandipan Das, Mr. Sayan Banerjee ...for the Petitioners.

Mr. Raja Saha, Mr. Biswabrata Basu Mullick ...for the State-respondents.

Affidavit of service is taken on record. None appears on behalf of the Pradhan.

Allegations have been made before the Block Development Officer, Mandirbazar Development Block, South 24-Parganas by some of the elected members of Chandpur Chaitanyapur Gram Panchayat, District-South 24Parganas that the Pradhan has been neglecting the administrative functions. Further allegation is that the Pradhan has not been cooperating with the members. The Pradhan has not been attaching any importance to the views of the majority members and is acting unilaterally. As a result of which, all the developmental works important

policy matters, and financial matters have come to a standstill.

The petitioners seek interference of the Court and a direction upon the Pradhan, to function in a manner akin to the principles of democracy.

As the petitioners have already approached the Block Development Officer, who is the monitoring authority of a gram panchayat, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction upon the Block Development Officer, Mandirbazar Development Block, to dispose of the representation of the petitioners dated October 27, 2021, which was received on November 2, 2021, in accordance with law. A hearing shall be given to the petitioners and the Pradhan.

The entire exercise shall be completed within a period of two months from the date of communication of this order. It is expected that the elected authorities must function in accordance with law and for the benefit of the local people.

This Court has not expressed any opinion on the allegations made in the writ petition.

The writ petition is, thus, disposed of.

There will be no order as to costs.

All parties are to act on the basis of the server copy of this order.

(Shampa Sarkar, J.)