(1) IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, AURANGABAD BENCH, AT AURANGABAD. WRIT PETITION NO. 212 OF 2011 Kedabai Shantaram Jadhav, Age : 38 years, Occupation : Household, R/o. At Post Kasare, Taluka : Sakri, District : Dhule. .. Petitioner. versus 1. Kiran s/o. Gulabrao Patil, Age : 30 years, Occupation : Agriculture, R/o. Mehergaon, Taluka : Dhule, District : Dhule. 2. The District Collector, Dhule. .. Respondents. ....................... WITH WRIT PETITION NO. 213 OF 2011 Mrs. Rajnibai Baburao Gharte, Age : 45 years, Occupation : Household, R/o. At Post : Samode, Taluka : Sakri, District : Dhule. .. Petitioner (2) versus 1. Kiran s/o. Gulabrao Patil, Age : 30 years, Occupation : Agriculture, R/o. Mehergaon, Taluka : Dhule, District : Dhule. 2. The District Collector, Dhule. .. Respondents. ....................... WITH WRIT PETITION NO. 214 OF 2011 Shri Bhiwaji Bhatu Pawar, Age : 45 years, Occupation : Agriculture, R/o. At Post : Bhadgaon, Taluka Sakri, District : Dhule. .. Petitioner. versus 1. Kiran s/o. Gulabrao Patil, Age : 30 years, Occupation : Agriculture, R/o. Mehergaon, Taluka : Dhule, District : Dhule. 2. The District Collector, Dhule. .. Respondents. (3) ....................... WITH WRIT PETITION NO. 215 OF 2011 Mrs. Soni Bharat Pawra, Age : 22 years, Occupation : Household, R/o. : At Post Kodid, Taluka : Shirpur, District : Dhule. .. Petitioner. versus 1. Kiran s/o. Gulabrao Patil, Age : 30 years, Occupation : Agriculture, R/o. Mehergaon, Taluka : Dhule, District : Dhule. 2. The District Collector, Dhule. .. Respondents. ....................... WITH WRIT PETITION NO. 216 OF 2011 Shri Jitendra Himmat Biraris, Age : 38 years, Occupation : Agriculture, R/o. At Post : Balhane, Taluka : Sakri, District : Dhule. .. Petitioner. (4) versus 1. Kiran s/o. Gulabrao Patil, Age : 30 years, Occupation : Agriculture, R/o. Mehergaon, Taluka : Dhule, District : Dhule. 2. The District Collector, Dhule. .. Respondents. ....................... Mr. V.J. Dixit, Senior Advocate, with Mr. P.D. Bachate, Advocate, for the petitioners, in all five petitions. Mr. P.M. Shah, Senior Advocate, with Mr. A.S. Sawant, Advocate, for respondent no.1 in all five petitions. Mr. K.J. Ghute Patil, Assistant Government Pleader, for respondent no.2 in all five petitions. ........................ CORAM : B.P. DHARMADHIKARI, J. Date of reserving the judgment : 25th January 2011. Date of pronouncing the judgment : 28th January 2011. (5) JUDGMENT : 1. Heard finally Senior Adv. Shri Dixit with Adv. Shri Bachate, for petitioners & Senior Adv. Shri Shah with Adv. Shri Amol Sawant, for respective respondent 1. Learned AGP present in court has appeared for Respondent 2 Collector. Looking to the nature of the controversy, matters are heard finally with consent by making Rule returnable forthwith. 2. Challenge in all these writ petitions under Art. 226 & 227 of the Constitution of India is to identical notices dated 3/1/2011 issued by respondent no. 2 Collector calling upon the respective petitioner to file additional written statement in defence if any, and to state whether they desire to be heard on additional points. The notices communicate to them the charge, statement of imputations, list of documents & list of witnesses in support thereof as per requirement of Rule 7(6) of the Maharashtra Local Authority Members' Disqualification Rules, 1987 & Section 3 of the Maharashtra Local Authority Members' Disqualification Act, 1986, referred to as 1987 Rules & 1986 Act hereafter. Those proceedings are initiated by respective respondent 1 seeking their disqualification under 1986 Act. Some procedural lapses committed by respondent 2 Collector have been assailed by the petitioners earlier unsuccessfully before this Court and said (6) challenge is now pending in SLP before the Hon. Apex Court. It is not in dispute that Hon. Apex Court has restrained respondent 2 Collector from passing final orders. 3. Shri Dixit, learned Senior Advocate has pointed out that the proceedings were already closed for final judgment by Collector on 3/4/2010. It was reopened again on 14/9/2010 because of application moved by respondent 1 pointing out to Collector that he has not framed the charges and requesting him to frame the same. He states that though the application appears to have been moved on 4/5/2010, there is no corresponding order- sheet and after 3/4/2010, next order-sheet is written on 14/9/2010. According to him whether procedure is mandatory or directory is pending before the Hon. Apex Court. Application filed belatedly was not tenable and respondent 1 did not move it bona fide. To show that it was filed immediately, date 4/5/2010 was put on it. Attention is invited to plea raised in paragraphs 32 & 33 of the memo of writ petition to urge that it was heard behind their back & orders framing charge, statements of imputation etc. are passed without extending reasonable opportunity of hearing to them. 4. Shri Shah, learned Senior Advocate for respondent 1 has supported the communications/notices dated 3/1/2011. According to him, Rule 7 of 1987 Rules nowhere contemplate an (7) opportunity of hearing before framing of charge, statement of imputations. He relies upon the order-sheets maintained by the Collector to show that reasonable opportunity of hearing extended was not availed of by the petitioners. According to him, impugned communication gives petitioners requisite chance to raise their objections by filing additional written statements and of personal hearing. Hence, they are not prejudiced in any way. He has relied upon unreported judgment of the Hon. Apex Court in Civil Appeal no. 10452 – 10457 of 2010 – Kedar Shashikant Deshpande vs. Bhor Municipal Council & Others which also arises under 1986 Act & 1987 Rules. 5. Learned AGP has sought time to obtain instructions on factual aspects of the matter but then adopted arguments of Adv. Shaha on legal points only. 6. Perusal of the judgment of the Hon. Apex Court in Kedar Shashikant Deshpande vs. Bhor Municipal Council & Others (supra) shows the finding that it was not necessary for competent authority to hear the appellants in disqualification proceedings before permitting respondents 4 & 5 before it to verify the disqualification petition &/or annextures accompanying the petition. Hon. Apex Court has found that S.99 CPC or principles analogous thereto protect the validity of proceedings (8) from such irregularities. The contention of respondents 4 & 5 that appellants had incurred disqualification under S.3(1)(a) of 1986 Act as they had voluntarily given up membership of NCP was objected to by appellants as raised for the first time before the Hon. Apex Court. Hon. Apex Court found that what was sought to be urged was legal effect of proved facts on record of the case. Thus case not covered under articles of charge or statement of imputations has been looked into. This judgment therefore shows the primacy given to substantive justice over procedural matters in absence of any grievance of the prejudice. 7. In 2010 (3) LJSOFT 67 = 2010 (1) Mah.L.J. 268-- Chandrakant s/o Gajananrao Pise & ors. Vs. Collector, Nagpur & ors.; I had occasion to consider impact of defective verification & noncompliance with procedural formalities as per Rule 6, 7 of the Rules, 1987 & Section 3 of the Act, 1986 -- referred as 1987 Rules & 1986 Act hereafter. Petitioners i.e. elected candidates had filed an application under Rule 7(2) of the 1987 Rules contending that the application seeking their disqualification as filed did not fulfill requirements of Rule 6 & 7 thereof. By order dated 7/9/2009 the Respondent No.2 Collector rejected it. Collector found that application as also the documents/ annexures were signed by the applicants and it had proper solemn affirmation of applicant No.1. Thus there was substantial compliance with Rule (9) 6(4) and it was duly verified by him i.e. Collector and found it to be in accordance with Rule 7(1) of 1987 Rules. Collector therefore rejected that application of Petitioners and directed matter to be considered on merits. In challenge to said order, it has been found that in Reference application file under Rule 6 for declaration of disqualification of Councilors, when the 1986 Act does not prescribe any procedural requirement, the delegate State government could not have added it through Rule 7(2). Such subordinate rule cannot be construed to help an otherwise disqualified councilor to continue as such in defiance of legislative mandate. I have held that the Rules will have to be read as only directory & defective verification by itself cannot ipso facto result in to dismissal of reference application filed before the Collector. Case Law considered by me while reaching said conclusion is: 1. Malati Rajesh Yawalkar vs. Sagar Raghunath Kautkar 2009 (10) LJSOFT 52 = 2009 (4) Mah.L.J. 984., 2. Manoj Bansilal Biyani vs. Sameer Krishnadhan Karr 2009 (9) LJSOFT 63 = (2009) Bom.C.R. 753, 3 Sayyad Tahir Hussain vs. State of Maharashtra 2007 (10) LJSOFT 13 = 2007 (6) Mah.L.J. 633, 4. Hariharrao Vishwanathrao Bhosikar vs. Datta Anandrao Pawar 2005 (11) LJSOFT 73 = 2005 (4) Mah.L.J. 211, 5. Dr. Mahachandra Prasad Singh v. Chairman, Bihar Legislative Council and others AIR 2005 SC 69, 6. Laxmikant Choudhari & Others vs. State of Maharashtra 2003 (10) LJSOFT 130 = 2003 (4) Mah.L.J. 150 = (10) 2003 Suppl. BCR 567, 7. Mirza Kadir Baig vs. District Collector, Parbhani 2003 (6) LJSOFT 78 = 2003 (4) Bom.C.R. 672 , 8. Sadashiv H. Patil vs. Vithal D. Teke 2000 (9) LJSOFT (SC) 116 = 2001 (1) Mh.L.J. 312 (SC) = AIR 2000 S.C. 3044, 9. Vishin N. Khanchandani and another v. Vidya Lachmandas Khanchandani and another AIR 2000 SC 2747 , 10. Venkatachaliah, C.J. in Ravi S. Naik v. Union of India 1994 (Supp) 2 SCC 641 = AIR 1994 SC 1558 & 11. Kihoto Hollohan case 1992 (Supp) 2 SCC 651 = AIR 1993 SC 412. 8. To understand the stage at which impugned exercise has been undertaken by Collector, entire procedure to be adopted for such inquiry with stages therein assume importance. Those stages or steps in inquiry are also significant to comprehend whether any prejudice is caused to petitioner due to this belated exercise. Relevant provision in 1987 Rules reads as under :- "7. Procedure.- (1) On receipt of a petition under Rule 6, the Commissioner, or, as the case may be, Collector shall consider whether the petition complies with the requirements laid down in that rule. (2) If the petition does not comply with the requirements of Rule 6, the Commissioner, or, as the case may be, Collector shall dismiss the petition and intimate the petitioner accordingly. (11) (3) If the petition complies with the requirements of Rule 6, the Commissioner, or, as the case may be, Collector shall forward copies of the petition and the annexures thereto (a) to the councillor in relation to a municipal party and a Zilla Parishad party and member in relation to a Panchayat Samiti party in respect of whom the petition has been made, and (b) where such councillor in relation to a municipal party and a Zilla Parishad party and member in relation to a Panchayat Samiti party belongs to any political party or aghadi or front and such petition has not been made by the leader thereof, also to such leader; and such councillor, member or leader shall, within seven days of the receipt of such copies, or within such further period as the Commissioner, or, as the case may be, Collector may for sufficient reason allow, forward his comments in writing thereon to the Commissioner, or, as the case may be, Collector. (4) After considering the comments, if any, in relation to the petition received under sub-rule (3) within the period allowed (including the extended period), the Commissioner, or, as the case may be, Collector shall proceed to determine the question after making a preliminary enquiry. (5) The procedure which shall be followed by the Commissioner or, as the case may be, Collector for the purpose of making preliminary enquiry to determine any question under sub-rule (4) shall be as prescribed in (12) sub-rules 6 to 15. (6) The Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector shall draw up or cause to be drawn up (i) the substance of the imputations of disqualification into definite and distinct articles of charge ; (ii) a statement of the imputations of disqualification in support of each article of charge, which shall contain (a) statement of all relevant facts including any admission or confession made by the Councillor or the member, and (b) a list of documents by which, and a list of witnesses by whom, the articles of charge are proposed to be sustained. (7) The Commissioner or, as the case may be, Collector shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the councillor, or as the case may be, the Member, a copy of articles of charge, the statement of the imputation of disqualification and a list of documents and of the witnesses by which each article of charge is proposed to be sustained, and shall by a written notice, require the Councillor or, as the case may be, the Member to submit to him within such time as may be specified in the notice, a written statement of his defence and to state whether he desires to be heard in person. (8) On receipt of the written statement of defence, the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector, may himself inquire into such of the articles of charge as are not admitted, and where all the articles of charge have been admitted by the Councillor or Member in his written statement of defence, (13) the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector shall record his findings on each charge after taking such evidence as he may think fit and shall act in the manner laid down in Rule 8 of these rules. (9) If no written statement of defence is submitted by such Councillor or Member, the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector shall proceed to enquire as if the Councillor or Member has nothing to say. (10) The Commissioner or, as the case may be, Collector shall require the complainant as well as the Councillor or Member who wishes to be heard either in person or through his Advocate to appear before him on such day and at such time as may be fixed by him. (11) The Councillor or, as the case may be, the member shall appear in person before the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector, on such day and at such time within ten working days from the date of receipt by him of the articles of charge and the statement of the imputations of disqualification, as the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector, may by a notice in writing specify in this behalf or within such further time not exceeding ten days, as the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector may allow. (12) The Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector, shall if the Councillor or, as the case may be, the Member, fails to appear within the specified time or refuses or admits to plead, produce the evidence by (14) which he proposed to disprove article of charge, adjourn the case to a later date not exceeding thirty days, after recording an order that the Councillor or, as the case may be, the Member, may for the purposes of preparing his defence (i) inspect within five days of the order or within such further time not exceeding five days as the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector, may allow, the documents specified in the list referred to in sub-rule (6) of this rule.(ii) submit a list of witnesses to be examined on his behalf. (13) Where the Councillor or, as the case may be, the Member applies orally or in writing for the supply of copies of the statements of witnesses mentioned in the list referred to in sub-rule (6) of this rule, the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector, shall furnish him with such copies as early as possible and, in any case not later than three days before the commencement of the examination of the witnesses on behalf of the disciplinary authority. (14) The enquiry shall be commenced on the date fixed in that behalf by the Commissioner or, as the case may be, the Collector, and shall be continued thereafter on such date or dates as may be fixed from time to time by him. (15) On the date fixed for the inquiry, the oral and documentary evidence shall be produced by or on behalf of the petitioner. The witnesses shall be examined by or on behalf of the petitioner and may be cross-examined by (15) the Councillor or Member, against whom there are charges of disqualification." 9. Here the learned Senior Advocate Shri Dixit has not pointed out any prejudice caused to petitioners because of belated framing of charges or points of imputations. Only contention is petitioners were not heard. It is not in dispute that reply filed by them to the application for framing charges preferred by the respondent no.1 has been looked into by Collector before framing charges. Not only this but even non-permissibility of framing the charge at that stage is not demonstrated. Grievance in reply before Collector at the most appears to be need of a de-novo trial. But then no arguments are advanced to substantiate it here. Application for framing charge came to be filed belatedly by the respondents after the final arguments were heard and disqualification petition itself was closed for judgment. The order-sheet of the proceedings does not contain any reference to its filing but then the application carries on its first page date “4/5” below signature implying probably thereby that it was tendered in the office of collector on 4/5/2010. But then till that date no judgment was given as its delivery is already stayed by Hon. Apex Court. The petitioners filed their reply to it in September,2010. Hence, alleged attempt to ante-date mere filing of that application on record is not defect grave enough by itself to warrant any interference in exercise of (16) writ jurisdiction. 10. Procedural lapses, if any, till the stage of final arguments i.e. till 3/4/2010 do not form subject matter of this petition. The petitioners have faced the trial before the Collector without any objection and never made any grievance about breach of sub-rules (6) to (15) of Rule 7. It is not the contention that their challenge now pending consideration before the Hon. Apex Court is prejudiced in any way because of this act of framing of articles of charges. They have also not urged that this belated exercise as completed still falls short of requirements of the said provisions. It is also not the case that these articles of charge & imputations bring forth some other facet of the controversy which they had missed and hence, lost opportunity to effectively defend themselves. Hence, loss of any advantage which they could have derived had same been framed earlier is not the grievance. Here only bone of contention is denial of opportunity of hearing by the collector. In their reply petitioners state that the de-novo trial may be necessary but then no efforts to demonstrate it are undertaken before me. 11. The impugned articles are framed on 22/10/2010 & last hearing for that purpose was held by the collector on 21/9/2010. Order-sheet dated 21/9/2010 shows that the petitioners (17) or their counsel were absent for said hearing. Their counsel though present on previous date ie 20/9/2010 earlier, did not appear at the time when the matter was called out. Petitioners had filed their reply before the Collector opposing that application of respondents on 14/9/2010. Next date was to be communicated by sending a notice. On 17/9/2010 it is recorded that date 20/9/2010 was fixed for hearing & counsel for petitioners was informed through post about it. On 17/9/2010 also petitioners & their counsel were absent. The service of notice as recorded is not in dispute. Petitioners in paragraph 32 of writ petition have urged that their counsel appeared on 20/9/2010 but matter was not called out. It also alleges that matter was adjourned to 21/9/2010 behind their back & said date was not communicated to their counsel. They further plead that on 21/9/2010 matter was closed for orders without hearing them. Thus except for stating that matter was not called out on 20/9/2010, they do not point out what transpired on that day. Whether any next date was given or not, why matter was not called out or then why they did not check the position on 21/9/2010 is not explained. Plea in paragraph 33 of the writ petition shows that no steps to inquire about the matter were taken and on 7/1/2011 they received the impugned notice calling their additional written statement. This silence for about 3 months & 15 days does not show their bona fides or a prudent conduct. Order- sheet dated 20/9/2010 clearly notes that their counsel who was (18) present earlier on that day did not attend when call was given. It also shows that matter was adjourned on 20/9/2010 to 21/9/2010. This presence in earlier part of day on 20/9/2010 is not shown to be incorrect at all. They also allege that certified copy of the order sheet was not given to them immediately. But then only grievance before this Court is about absence of opportunity of hearing and in above facts, when the absence, either of petitioners or their advocates is not being explained by any plausible reasons, action of collector to proceed further can not be faulted with either as arbitrary or erroneous. 12. Notice dated 3/1/2011 impugned in these petitions indicates the charge with statement of imputations, list of documents & list of witnesses. The petitioners are called upon to file additional written statements of defence, if any by 13/1/2011 and also to communicate whether they desired to be heard on additional points. It is obvious that the Collector has therefore, extended necessary opportunity. Hence, even a remote possibility of the prejudice is taken care of. In this background only question is whether alleged denial of opportunity of hearing & framing of charge in attempted compliance with Rule 7 belatedly is itself sufficient to warrant interference in writ petition. I find the analogy of criminal jurisprudence, a more drastic measure, also germane here. Section 464 of the Criminal Procedure Code,1973 (19) reads as under : "Section 464 :-- Effect of omission to frame, or absence of, or error in, charge- (1) No finding, sentence or order by a Court of competent jurisdiction shall be deemed invalid merely on the ground that no charge was framed or on the ground of any error, omission or irregularity in the charge including any misjoinder of charges, unless in the opinion of the Court of appeal, confirmation or revision, a failure of justice has in fact been occasioned thereby”. In 1999 CRI. L. J. 1134= AIR 1999 SC 775--Kammari Brahmaiah and others v. Public Prosecutor, High Court of A.P. construing said provision, Hon. Apex Court has held non-framing of charge would not vitiate the conviction if no prejudice is caused thereby to the accused. The trial should be fair to the accused, fair to the State and fair to the vast mass of the people for whose protection penal laws are made and administered. Criminal Procedure Code is a procedural law and is designed to further the ends of justice and not to frustrate them by the introduction of endless technicalities. This view is reiterated in AIR 2003 S.C. 333-- "Lallan Rai v. State of Bihar", where Hon. Apex Court expressed :-- “We, however, hasten to add that in the event, however, there being prejudice leading to a failure of justice, it cannot but be treated to be (20) an illegality, which is otherwise incurable in nature. In one of the early decisions of this Court. (Willie (William) Slaney v. The State of Madhya Pradesh 1955 (2) SCR 1140), the