IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE T.R.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR MONDAY, THE 31ST MAY 2010 / 10TH JYAISTHA 1932 WP(C).No. 16629 of 2010(C) -------------------------- PETITIONER: --------------- SRI.K.N.P.KURUP, MEMBER, WARD NO.2, EDATHUA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, KUTTANADU. BY ADV. SRI.JOHN K.GEORGE RESPONDENT(S): --------------- 1. THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. LATHA RAMANAN, MEMBER, WARD NO.9, EDATHUA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, KUTTANADU. 3. SYAMALA RAJAN, MEMBER, WARD NO.11, EDATHUA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, KUTTANADU. 4. SOMASEKHARAN PILLAI, MEMBER, WARD NO.3, EDATHUA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, KUTTANADU. 5. ELISA CHERIYAN, MEMBER, WARD NO.5, EDATHUA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, KUTTANADU. 6. M.D.THOMAS, MEMBER, WARD NO. 14, EDATHUA GRAMA PANCHAYAT, KUTTANADU. ADV. SRI.MURALI PURUSHOTHAMAN, SC,K.S.E.COMM FOR R1 THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 31/05/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: T.R.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR,J. ------------------------------------- W.P.(C)No.16629 of 2010 --------------------------------- Dated this the 31st day of May, 2010 JUDGMENT The petitioner is an elected member of Ward No.2 of Edathua Grama Panchayat. Alleging that respondents 2 to 6 are disqualified under the Prohibition of Kerala Local Authorities Defection Act, 1999, the petitioner has approached the State Election Commission as per Exhibits P1 to P5. 2. It is submitted that the Commission has not taken any steps in the matter so far and accordingly, the petitioner seeks for a direction to expedite the trial of the same. 3. The first respondent has filed a statement detailing the steps taken in the matter. It is stated that all the respondents have appeared and they have filed objections in the matter and the matter is now posted to 3.6.2010. It is submitted that expeditious steps have been taken by the Commission for disposing of the matter and the Commission is also entrusted with the task of delimitation of constituencies of local bodies in Kerala. Therefore, it is pointed out that it requires some more time to dispose of the matter. W.P.(C)No.16629/10 -2- 4. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the term of the Panchayat will be expiring by 1.10.2010 and at least before the said date, the matter may be finally disposed of. Therefore, the Commission may expedite the hearing and will see that the matter is finally disposed of before the expiry of the term of the Panchayat. The Writ Petition is disposed of as above. T.R.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR, JUDGE. dsn