THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.28992 of 2011 Date: 29.10.2011 Between: Marnedi Malakondarayudu … Petitioner and The District Collector (Panchayat Raj Department), Prakasam District, Ongole and others. … Respondents THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.28992 of 2011 ORDER : Heard Sri I. Koti Reddy, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner, as well as the learned Government Pleader for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development appearing for respondent Nos.1 to 4 and Sri G.Elisha, learned Standing Counsel appearing for respondent No.5. 2. The petitioner, who claims to be a resident and Ex- Sarpanch of Ravellavaripalem Village, Marripudi Mandal, Prakasam District, has filed this writ petition challenging the action of the respondents in undertaking the construction of Gram Panchayat building in the land in Sy.No.729 of the said village, as arbitrary and illegal. 3. The grievance of the petitioner as pleaded and also as presented at the hearing is that the respondents have approved the proposal to construct Gram Panchayat building on the land in Sy.No.729, which is a vaagu poramboke and situated at the outskirts of the village, therefore, the said place is not convenient to the public. The petitioner states that there is Grama Kantam site in the village, which is more convenient for the public. Therefore, it is the contention of the petitioner that the action taken by the respondents to construct Gram Panchayat building on the said land is not in public interest. 4. I am not in agreement with the said contention. Gram Panchayat buildings are proposed to be constructed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme under which funds are provided to those panchayats which do not have their own office buildings. Ravellavaripalem is one such Gram Panchayat, which, admittedly does not have its own building. The petitioner also admits that the Gram Panchayat requires a building. Hence the proposal for construction of Gram Panchayat building per se cannot be found fault with. 5. However, as noticed, the objection of the petitioner is that the Gram Panchayat building should be constructed at a place other than in the land in Sy.No.729. Even according to the petitioner it is a Government land being vaagu poramboke. 6. Construction of Gram Panchayat building at any given place is within the domain and expertise of the authorities concerned. If any such proposal is made, it is not for the Court to substitute its opinion unless the same is otherwise arbitrary or illegal. In the instant case, except pleading that the location of Gram Panchayat building is inconvenient to the public, no material has been placed nor any discernible arbitrariness or illegality is shown to exist. 7. For the aforesaid reasons, the writ petition is devoid of merits and accordingly dismissed, at the admission stage. No order as to costs. ________________________ JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI 29.10.2011. Msr THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOUSHAD ALI WRIT PETITION No.28992 of 2011 29.10.2011 (Msr)