Grampanchayat Gatta, Attapalli, Thr. Sarpanch, Poonam Komati Lekamni v. State of Maha., Thr. the Principal Secretary, Rural Devpt. and Panchayat Raj Dept., Mumbai and Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
Gram Panchayat Gatta v. State of Maharashtra, WP No.5370 of 2025, Bombay HC Nagpur Bench, decided 04.02.2026 (Khubalkar, J.). Keywords: duration/term of Gram Panchayat; commencement of term from date of first meeting; five-year term; Section 28(1) Maharashtra Village Panchayat Act, 1959; Article 243(e) Constitution of India; disqualification of members under Section 10(1)(a) for failure to submit caste-validity certificates; Collector, Gadchiroli order dated 10.06.2025 quashed (Clause “3”); Administrator appointed by CEO, Zilla Parishad, Gadchiroli by order dated 09.09.2025 held unsustainable; writ petition allowed, no costs. Relevant to challenges to declarations ending panchayat tenure before expiry of the five-year term from the first meeting.
What did the court decide?
Writ petition allowed with no order as to costs; Clause “3” of the Collector, Gadchiroli's order dated 10.06.2025 quashed and set aside; the consequential order dated 09.09.2025 of the Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Gadchiroli appointing an Administrator held unsustainable.