LPA No. 2212 of 2011 -1- IN THE PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT AT CHANDIGARH LPA No. 2212 of 2011 Date of Decision: December 05, 2011 Mahinder Singh and others …Petitioners Versus State of Punjab and others ..Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.M. KUMAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV NARAIN RAINA Present: Mr. Ashwani Talwar, Advocate for the appellants 1. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 2. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? M.M. KUMAR, J. 1. The instant appeal under Clause X of the Letters Patent is directed against judgment dated 26.09.2011 passed by the learned Single Judge dismissing the writ petition. The learned Single Judge in the impugned judgment dated 26.09.2011 has recorded a categorical finding that Panch of the Gram Panchayat, namely, Sh. Rashpal Singh S/o Ranjit Singh, Village Ramgarh @ Buta Singh Wala, District SAS Nagar has not been found to be in illegal/ unauthorized possession of any panchayat land by any competent authority. There are no proceedings initiated either under Section 7 of the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act, 1961 or before any other judicial forum. On the basis of report procured on administrative side, the case was sought to be built up for suspension and dismissal of the Panch Sh. Rashpal Singh. Some proceedings are pending against some other but LPA No. 2212 of 2011 -2- there were no proceedings against the Sh. Rashpal Singh. In order to discourage such litigants, who have been misusing the forum of the Court to play their political games, the learned Single Judge has saddled the petitioners with heavy costs of ` 2 lacs. 2. Mr. Ashwani Talwar, learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the costs is excessive and is penal in nature. 3. Keeping in view the fact that the writ petition has been dismissed at the motion stage itself even without calling upon the other side, we reduce the costs to ` 1 lac. 4. With the aforesaid modification, the appeal is dismissed. (M.M. KUMAR) JUDGE (RAJIV NARAIN RAINA) JUDGE December 05, 2011 Atul