IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA. CWP(T) No. 7138 of 2008. Decided on 02.08.2010. _____________________________________________________ Shri Harbans Lal. …Petitioner. -Versus- State of H.P. and others. …Respondents. Coram: The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Rajiv Sharma, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1No. __________________________________________________________ For the petitioner. : None. For respondents No. 1 and 2. : Mr. R.P. Singh, Assistant Advocate General. For respondents No. 3 and 4. : None. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rajiv Sharma, Judge (Oral): Petitioner is aggrieved by letter dated 23rd August, 1999, whereby his services have been terminated as Assistant Secretary. It has come in the reply filed by respondents No. 1 and 2 that petitioner is real brother of Shri Chander Ballbh, Vice- President of Gram Panchayat, Kharagad. It is in these circumstances, that the appointment of the petitioner has been cancelled under Rule 137 of the H.P. Panchayati Raj (General) Rules, 1997, which reads thus: “No person shall be employed by a Panchayat, if he is a near relative (father, grandfather, father-in-law, maternal or paternal uncle, son, grandson, son-in- law, brother, nephew, brother-in-law, wife, sister, sister’s husband, mother, daughter, niece, mother-in- law, daughter-in-law and husband) of any of its 1 Whether the reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? No. members or if he has been convicted of any criminal offence involving moral turpitude. No employee of the Panchayat shall be retained in service after attaining the age of 58 years”. 2. Accordingly, there is no merit in this petition and the same is dismissed. No costs. (Rajiv Sharma) Judge August 02, 2010. (bhupender)