IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA, CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.6348 of 2009 Date of Decision: April 28, 2009 Bhupinder Singh .....PETITIONER(S) VERSUS Special Secretary, Village Development & Panchayat Department, Punjab & Another .....RESPONDENT(S) . . . CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AJAI LAMBA PRESENT: - Mr. Hardeep Singh, Advocate, for the petitioner. . . . AJAI LAMBA, J (Oral) Learned counsel for the petitioner has raised a short question that an order adverse to the petitioner has been passed, however, without giving any opportunity of hearing to the petitioner or without hearing the petitioner. Notice of motion. Mr. Anil Sharma, Senior Deputy Advocate General, Punjab, on the asking of the Court, accepts notice. Copy of the petition has been given to him. I have heard the learned counsel. Perusal of Annexure P-4 makes it evident that respondent No.2, Chandi Ram, Panch, CWP No.6348 of 2009 [2] Gram Panchayat, Salewala, Block Pattran, District Patiala, filed an application before the Special Secretary, Village Development & Panchayat Department, Punjab, under Section 201 of the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act, 1994. Only the District Development & Panchayat Officer (for short, `DDPO’) and Gram Panchayat were made party. The petitioner was not impleaded. The order indicates that only DDPO put in appearance. Becuase the order adversely effects the petitioner, I am of the considered opinion that it was incumbent for the authority to have heard the petitioner. In view of the above, this petition is allowed. Order dated 20.3.2009 (Annexure P-4) is set aside. The matter is relegated back to the Special Secretary, Village Development & Panchayat Department to re-hear the matter after giving opportunity of hearing to the petitioner who is likely to be affected. The petitioner would be at liberty to raise the issue of jurisdiction also before the authorities. The Special Secretary would be required to hear Chandi Ram and DDPO also. (AJAI LAMBA) April 28, 2009 JUDGE avin