1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE OF BOMBAY, BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO.5155 OF 2010 Bharat Digambar Shelke ..Petitioner V/s The State of Maharashtra and others. ..Respondents ......... Mrs.Sen Chincholkar holding for Mr.G. N. Chincholkar, Advocate for petitioner. Mr.S.V. Kurundkar, Addl.G.P. for respondent nos.1 to 3. Mr.G.G. Suryawanshi, Advocate for respondent no.4. ........ (CORAM : V.R.KINGAONKAR,J.) DATE : 23rd June, 2010. PER COURT : 1. Heard learned counsel. 2. The petitioner was Sarpanch of village and has been declared as disqualified person to continue in the office on account of his failure to conduct required number of Gram Sabhas and monthly meetings. The petitioner's counsel would submit that the judgment was rendered exparte and the petitioner was unable to attend due to illness of his grand-father. It appears that no adjournment application was filed on the given date scheduled for hearing. The learned Additional Collector, Nanded observed that though the Advocate of the petitioner had filed Vakilpatra on 20th January, 2010 yet no written statement was filed. The absence of 2 the petitioner on the date of hearing, though may be due to some other reason yet his failure to file written statement which is inexplicable. There was no explanation as to why the disqualification be not declared when the report of Gram Sevak indicted that for the year 2009-2010 only six monthly meetings were held though requirement was to hold 12 meetings. Not only that but during the said year, he had not arranged any Gram Sabha and the record itself not showed such option. Needless to say, the record clearly speaks voluminous evidence against the petitioner and in the summary enquiry, the Additional Collector was not required to give more opportunity likewise the trial of civil or criminal case. The petition is destitute of substance, and as such, is dismissed. (V.R.KINGAONKAR) JUDGE gas/wp5155.10(1)