IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. C.W.P. No.13224 of 2008 DATE OF DECISION : 19.12.2008 Massa Singh and others .... PETITIONERS Versus State of Punjab and others ..... RESPONDENTS CORAM :- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SATISH KUMAR MITTAL HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASWANT SINGH Present: Mr. Onkar Singh Batalvi, Advocate, for the petitioners. Mr. N.D.S. Mann, Addl. A.G., Punjab, for respondents No.1 to 4. Mr. S.S. Khaira, Advocate, for respondent No.6. * * * SATISH KUMAR MITTAL , J. ( Oral ) The petitioners, who are three out of 5 Members of Gram Panchayat of Village Lakhanpal, District Gurdaspur, have filed this petition under Articles 226/227 of the Constitution of India for setting aside the election of respondent No.6 as Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat, in the meeting held on 19.7.2008. Written statement on behalf of respondent No.6 has been filed in Court today. The same is taken on record and its copy has been handed over to counsel for the petitioners. CWP No. 13224 of 2008 -2- Counsel for respondent No.6 has pointed out that after filing of this writ petition, the petitioners have filed an election petition before the Election Tribunal, Gurdaspur, challenging the election of respondent No.6 as Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat, and the same is pending. This fact has not been controverted by counsel for the petitioners. He states that the petitioners may be permitted to withdraw this writ petition with liberty to pursue the election petition, already filed by them and the Election Tribunal be directed to decide the election petition, expeditiously. Dismissed as withdrawn with the aforesaid liberty. The Election Tribunal, Gurdaspur, is directed to decide the aforesaid election petition, expeditiously, preferably within a period of six months. ( SATISH KUMAR MITTAL ) JUDGE December 19, 2008 ( JASWANT SINGH ) ndj JUDGE