The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Court dismisses petition filed by taluk panchayat members

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 22, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Court dismisses petition filed by taluk panchayat members

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed as premature a petition filed by 19 members of the taluk panchayat of Belgaum challenging a notice issued to them by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj.

The department had taken exception to the conduct of some of the taluk panchayat members for passing a resolution seeking that certain Marathi-speaking areas in Karnataka be included in Maharashtra.

In their petition, taluk panchayat members Maruthi Parushuram Kugaji and 18 others, said they received a notice from the panchayat president asking them to be present at a meeting.

During the meeting, a member raised the issue of merger of Marathi-speaking areas in Belgaum with Maharashtra. The members said that they did not discuss the issue, as it is sub-judice and was not on the meeting's agenda.

However, the department had issued notices to the panchayat members, asking them why they cannot be disqualified under Section 6 of the Panchayat Act from membership of the local body.

Justice N.K. Patil dismissed the petition.

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