http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 8  

PETITIONER: RATANALAL NATH E C

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF TRIPURA & ORS. ETC

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       25/02/1997

BENCH: B.P. JEEVAN REDDY, K.S. PARIPOORNAN

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                       J U D G M E N T B.P.JEEVAN REDDY,J.      Leave granted in both the Special Leave Petitions.      Civil Appeal  No. 1641  of 1997  [arising from  Special Leave Petition  (x) No.  22702 of  1994] is Preferred by the State of Tripura, while the other civil appeal [arising from Special Leave Petition (c) No.10413 of 1994] is preferred by a voter  who was  the writ petitioner before the High Court. The main  challenge in the writ petition was to the validity of certain rules framed by the State of Tripura under and in pursuance of  the Tripura  Panchayats Act,  1993.  The  High Court has  struck down  sub-rules (3)  to (7) of Rule 8-A of the  Tripura  Panchayats  [Preparation  of  Electoral  Rolls Rules, 1993  [[hereinafter referred to as "Panchayat Rules"] and proviso  (ii) to sub rule (3) of Rule 3, proviso (ii) to sub-rule (4)  of Rule  6 and  proviso (ii)  to clause (c) of sub-rule  (4)   of  Rule   8  of   the  Tripura   Panchayats [Delimitation of  Constituencies] Rules,  1993  [hereinafter referred  to  as  "Delimitation  Rules"].  The  High  Court, however, substained  the validity  of Rule  3 of the Tripura Panchayats  [Constitution   of  State   Panchayat   Election Commission] Rules, 1993.      The Tripura  Legislative Assembly  enacted the  Tripura Panchayats Act,  1993 in  the light  of and to bring the law relating to  panchayats  in  conformity  with  the  purpose, substance and direction of the Constitution [73rd Amendment] Act, 1993.  The Act  has created  a three-tier  system. Gram Panchayats are  constituted for  Grams [villages], Panchayat Samities at  the block  level and  Zilla  Parishads  at  the district level.  The Act  provides for  the constitution and composition of  these bodies  besides  providing  for  their powers, duties  and functions  et al.  We may briefly notice the relevant provisions of the Act. Clause (16) of Section 2 defines the  expression "First  General Election".  It means "the First General Election of members held for constitution of Gram  Panchayats, Panchayat  Samities and Zilla Parishads after commencement  of this  Act". The subject-matter of the present proceedings  is the  First General Election". Clause (32) in  Section 2  defines the  expression "population"  to mean "the  population as  ascertained at  the last preceding

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 8  

census of  which the  relevant figures have been published". Section 3 provides for the constitution of the Gram. Section 11 provides  that for  every Gram there shall be constituted a Gram  panchayat. Section  12 provides  inter alia that the strength of a Gram Panchayat shall not be less than nine and shall not exceed fifteen. Section 13 provides that each Gram shall be  divided into  not less than five but not more than fifteen constituencies.  Section 14 provides for reservation of seats  in every  Gram Panchayat  in favour  of  Scheduled Castes and  Scheduled Tribes.  Similar provision  is made in respect of  Panchayat Samities  and Zilla Parishads as well. Section  176  provides  for  the  constitution  of  a  State Panchayat Election Commission. The Commission is vested with the power  of superintendence,  direction and control of the preparation of  the electoral  rolls and  the conduct of all elections to  Panchayat Bodies  under the  Act and the Rules made  thereunder.   Section  177   says   that   "for   each constituency, there  shall be  an electoral roll showing the names of  the persons  qualified to vote. The electoral roll shall be  prepared in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the Rules made thereunder". Section 183 provides for preparation, revision  and correction  of  electoral  rolls. Section 189  bars the  jurisdiction or  the civil  court  in respect of  matters provide by the Act. Section 213 bars the court from  granting  an  injunction  interfering  with  the process  of   election.  Section   228  empowers  the  State government to  make rules  for carrying  out the purposes of the Act.      In exercise  of  the  rule-making  power  conferred  by Section 228,  the State  government has framed the aforesaid three sets  of rules  among others.  We may first notice the relevant  provisions  of  the  Delimitation  Rules.  Rule  3 provides for  determination of  number of members for a Gram Panchayat and  the number  of members  of Scheduled  Tribes, Scheduled Castes  and women in each Panchayat. the number of members of  each Panchayat  is related  to the population of each Gram.  For a  Gram, the  population of  which does  not exceed three  thousand, the number of members is nine [which is the  minimum number prescribed by the Act] and for a Gram the population  of which exceeds six thousand, the number of members is fifteen [the maximum prescribed by the Act]. Sub- rule (3)  provides for the reservation of seats in favour of scheduled Tribes  and Scheduled  Castes whereas sub-rule (4) provides for  reservation in  favour of women. Having regard to the  nature of  the controversy involved herein, it would br appropriate  to set  out sub-rule  (3) of  Rule 3  in its entirety:      "(3) The  number of  the  Scheduled      Castes members  and  the  Scheduled      Tribes members  to be  elected from      among the  members determined under      sub-clause (1),  which shall  bear,      as  nearly  as  may  be,  the  same      proportion with  the number  of the      members of  the Gram  Panchayat  as      the Scheduled  Castes population or      the Scheduled Tribes population, as      the case  may be,  bears  with  the      total population in the Gram:           Provided that--           (i)   the    number   of   the      Scheduled Castes  of the  Scheduled      Tribes of the total population in a      Gram shall  be determined primarily      on the  basis of the last preceding

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 3 of 8  

    census  of   which   the   relevant      figures are published.           (ii) when  census figures  are      not available  for any  area  of  a      Gram,  the   prescribed   authority      shall, subject to such order of the      State Government  as may be made in      this behalf,  determine the  number      of  the  Scheduled  Castes  or  the      Scheduled  Tribes   or  the   total      population  on  the  basis  of  any      other     authenticated      record      maintained   by   any   office   or      organisation of  any department  of      the State  Government or,  where no      such record  is available,  on  the      basis of  a local enquiry which may      include house to house enumeration,      caused by  him for  the purposes as      aforesaid  after  consulting  where      necessary,  any   portion  of   the      census report,  electoral  roll  of      the Tripura Legislative Assembly or      any other authenticated record that      may be of assistance;      (iii)     when  it  is  ascertained      from the available records that one      or more  portions of  the area of a      Gram have,  in  all  such  portions      taken   together,   the   Scheduled      castes  or   the  Scheduled  Tribes      population constituting  less  than      one   per   cent   of   the   total      population  of   the   Gram,   such      Scheduled   Castes   or   Scheduled      Tribes   population    figures   in      respect of  such portions shall not      be  taken   into  account  for  the      purpose   of   sub-clause   (3)   :      (iv) the Sub-Divisional  Magistrate      by  an   order  in  writing,  shall      record, before  publication of  the      draft of  the order  in From A, the      procedure adopted,  the records and      documents  relied   upon  and   the      findings made  for the  purpose  of      determination  of   the   Scheduled      Castes  and  the  Scheduled  Tribes      members."             [Emphasis added]      Rule 6  deals with  determination of  number of members and constituencies  for Panchayat Samiti and the reservation of seats  in favour of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in each Panchayat Samiti. Sub-rule (4) of Rule 6 corresponds to sub-rule  (3) of Rule 3. It is, therefore, unnecessary to set out  the said  sub-rule. Rule  8, in  turn,  deals  with determination of  number of  constituencies and allotment of seats to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes in each Zilla Parishad. The  relevant provisions of clause (c) of sub-rule (4) of  Rule 8 are in pari materia with sub-rule (4) of Rule 3 and,  therefore, the  said clause or sub-rule too need not be set out.      The scheme  of the  three sub-rules  aforementioned  is identical, viz.,  (a) the number of Scheduled Castes members and Scheduled  Tribes members  to be  elected shall bear, as

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 4 of 8  

nearly as  may be,  the same  proportion with  the number of members of  the Gram  Panchayat as  the  population  of  the Scheduled Castes  and Scheduled  Tribes bears with the total population in the Gram, in the Panchayat Samiti area, and in the area  of Zilla  Parishad, as the case may be [Rule 3(3), Rule 6(4) and Rule 8(4) (c) - main limb]; (b) the population of the  Scheduled of  a Gram, Panchayat Samiti area of Zilla Parishad area  shall be determined primarily on the basis of last preceding  census of  which the  relevant  figures  are published [proviso  (i) appended  to each  of the above sub- rules]; and  (c)  in  case  where  census  figures  are  not available for  any area  of  a  Gram/Panchayat  Samiti/Zilla Parishad,  the  prescribed  authority  shall  determine  the population of the scheduled castes, Scheduled Tribes, or for that matter, the total population of a Gram/Panchayat Samiti area/Zilla  Parishad   area  "on  the  basis  of  any  other authenticated   record   maintained   by   any   office   or organization of  any department  of the  State Government or where no  such record  is available,  on the  basis of local enquiry, after  consulting, where  necessary, any portion of the census  report, relevant  electoral roll  of the Tripura Legislative Assembly  or any other authenticated record that may be  of assistance".  (proviso (ii)  to each of the above sub-rules). There  are certain  other provision  in sub-rule (3) which  are not  necessary to  notice for  the purpose of this case.      Tripura Panchayats  [Preparation  of  Electoral  Rolls] Rules, 1993 [Panchayat Rules] have been made to regulate the preparation and  publication of  electoral rolls  under  the said Act  and to  provide for other incidental matters. Sub- rule (1)  of  Rule  8  provides  that  "there  shall  be  an Electoral Roll  which shall  be prepared  in accordance with the provisions  of the  Tripura  Panchayats  Act  under  the superintendence,  direction   and  control   of  the   State Panchayat Election  Commission". The other sub-rules provide for publication of a draft electoral roll, considerations of objections received  and publication  of the final electoral roll. Rule  8-A was  inserted in these rules by an amendment published in  the Gazette  dated December 29, 1993. It deals with the  preparation of  the electoral rolls for the "First General  Election".  Sub-rule  (1)  provides  that  for  the purpose of  "First General  Election", the  State  Panchayat Election Commission  shall, in  consultation with  the State government, draw  up the  programme for  publication of  the draft electoral  rolls and  the final  electoral  rolls  and other incidental  matters. Sub-rule  (2)  provides  that  in connection with the preparation of such electoral rolls, the State Election  Commissioner shall  publish  the  dates  for publication of  draft electoral  rolls, the  last  date  for filing claims/objections  and the  date of final publication of  draft   electoral  rolls,   the  last  date  for  filing claims/objections and the date of final publication of draft electoral rolls.  Sub-rule (3) provides that "so much of the electoral rolls of any Assembly constituency or. as the case may be, Assembly constituencies for the time being in force, as relates  to the  area comprised  with in  the panchayats, shall be  the electoral rolls for the election of members of Gram Panchayat,  Panchayat Samiti  and Zilla Parishad". Sub- rule (4)  similarly provides  that "so much of the electoral rolls for  any Assembly Constituency or, as the case may be, Assembly constituencies  for the  time being  in force as it relates to  the areas  comprised within  a  constituency  or constituencies of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and zilla Parishad shall  be the electoral rolls for the First General Election of  the Members of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 5 of 8  

or Zilla Parishad from that constituency". Sub-rule (5) says that "the electoral rolls for the First General Election for each constituency  of the Panchayat shall be prepared by the electoral Registration  Officer". Sub-rule (6) provides that "for the  purpose of  preparing the  electoral rolls of each constituency  for   the  First   General  Election  to  Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti or Zilla Parishad, the electoral rolls of  any Assembly  constituencies shall  be split up on such  manner  as  the  Electoral  Registration  Officer  may consider fit,  proper and  necessary". Sub-rule (7) provides that "electoral rolls for the First General Election of each constituency of  the Gram  Panchayat,  Panchayat  Samiti  or Zilla Parishad  may be  divided into  convenient parts which shall be  numbered recording  [according?] to  the number of constituencies given as per the delimitation of constituency of Panchayats".  The other sub-rules provide for publication of draft  rules,  consideration  of  objections  and  claims received and  the final  publication. [We  have quoted  sub- rules (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) in full because of the fact that the  said rules  have been  struck  down  by  the  High Court.]      The State  has  preferred  the  appeal  [Special  Leave Petition No.22702 of 1994] aggrieved by the striking down of the  Rules  aforementioned  whereas  the  write  petitioner, Ratanlal Nath,  has filed the appeal [Special Leave Petition (C) No.10413 of 1994] contending that not only the aforesaid Rules but another set of Rules called the Tripura Panchayats [Constitution of State Panchayat Election Commission] Rules, 1993 [hereinafter referred to as "Election Commission Rules" should also  have been  struck down. The Election Commission Rules provide  for the  constitution of  election commission [Rule 3].  The rule  inter alia  provides that  the Governor shall  appoint   the  State  Election  Commissioner  on  the recommendation of the State government and further that "the State Election  Commissioner shall  hold office for a period not exceeding six months at a time from the date on which he enters upon  his office.  Provided  that  the  Governor  may reappoint  the  same  Officer  for  another  term  with  the recommendation of  the State  Government if  he is otherwise not disqualified for re-appointment".                        P A R T - I I      So far  as Panchayats  Rules and Delimitation Rules are concerned, the  only ground  urged by the writ petitioner is that the  said Rules  travel beyond  the four corners of the Act and  are, therefore,  incompetent and  invalid. No other ground of invalidity is urged.      Let us  first deal  with the  Delimitation  Rules.  The contention of  the writ  petitioner is  that the  provisions contained in  proviso (ii)  to sub-rule  (3) of  Rule 3  are inconsistent  with   the  definition   of   the   expression "population" in  clause (32)  of Section 2 of the Panchayats Act as  well as  the definition  of the  said expression  in clause  (f)   of  Article   243  of  the  Constitution  and, therefore, incompetent.  The reasoning which has appealed to the High  Court  is  that  inasmuch  as  the  definition  of "population" contained in the Constitution as well as in the Act  means  "the  population  as  ascertained  at  the  last preceding census  of which  the relevant  figures have  been published", the second proviso to sub-rule (3) of Rule which provides for  looking into some other records in the absence of census  figures is outside the purview of the Act and the Constitution. We  are unable to agree. Clause (f) of Article 243 of  the Constitution defines the expression "Population" in the following words: "(f) Population means the population as ascertained  at the  last preceding  census of  which the

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 6 of 8  

relevant figures  have  been  published".  [Clause  (32)  of Section 2  of the  Tripura  Panchayats  Act  faithfully  re- produces the said definition.] All that the first and second provisos to sub-rule (3) of Rule 3 of the Delimitation Rules provide is  that where  census figures  are  available  that shall be  the primary  basis -  indeed, it shall be the only basis - for determining the total population of a Panchayat, or for  that matter,  the population of the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled  Castes, as  the case  may be,  bu t where the census figures  area not  available, the  population figures shall be  ascertained from  the other relevant authenticated record. Similar  provisions are contained in Rule 6 and Rule 8  relating   to  Panchayat  Samities  and  Zilla  Parishads respectively. The  provisos do  not say  that even where the census figures  are available,  the authorities should go to other record.  The provisos  really provide  for a situation where census  figures  are  not  available.  The  Rules  are inspired by the objective that elections have to be held and it is  with this  objective that  they have  made  the  said provision. We are unable to see how the said provisos can be held to travel outside the purview of the Act. The Rules are made for carrying out the purposes of the enactment [Section 228(1) of  the Act]  and the purpose of the Act is to ensure the  conduct   the  elections.   Indeed,  Part-IX   of   the Constitution was  amended in  1973 to  ensure  periodic  and regular elections  to Panchayats,  which were not being held regularly in many States. Not only the said provisos ore not inconsistent  with   the  provisions  of  the  Act  and  the Constitution, but  they in  fact  further  and  advance  the object underlying  the Act  and Part-IX of the Constitution. We must  say that  we find no proper or acceptable reasoning in the impugned judgment for striking down the said Rules.      We shall  now consider the validity of sub-rules (3) to (7) of  Rule 8-A  of the  Tripura Panchayats [Preparation of Electoral  Rolls]  Rules,  1993.  The  said  sub-rules  have already been  set out  in their  entirety hereinbefore.  The contention of  the writ  petitioner is  that these sub-rules are inconsistent  with Sections 176, 177 and 183 of the Act. The High  Court has  accepted the  said plea  in  two  short paragraphs which  are, if we may say so with respect, devoid of any reasoning. In Para 39, they noticed the provisions in Sections  176,   177  and   183.  [Section   176  vests  the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral  rolls and  conduct of elections under the Act in the  State Panchayat Election Commission and provides for the appointment  and other matters concerning the members of the Commission and other officers. Section 177 provides that the electoral  roll for each constituency "shall be prepared in accordance  with the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder" and Section 183 provides that the electoral roll  for   each  constituency  shall  be  prepared  by  the Electoral Registration Officer in the prescribed manner with reference to the qualifying date and that the electoral roll may be  divided into  convenient parts. It also provides for the revision  of the  electoral rolls.  Having set  out  the purport  of  Sections  176,  177  and  183  the  High  Court observed:      "In   view    of   the   provisions      contained in  Sections 176, 177 and      183, according  to the  8A is ultra      vires inasmuch as it is contrary to      the  said   Sections.  As  per  the      provisions  of  the  said  sections      preparation  of   electoral   rolls      cannot  be   synonymous  with   the

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 7 of 8  

    adoption of  any electoral  roll in      view  of  the  fact  that  the  two      concepts are  widely  different and      opposed to each other.           We have perused the provisions      of Section 176, 177 and 183 and the      amended Rule 8A. One perusal of the      Rule we  find that the amended Rule      8A/ (3)  to (7)  is contrary to the      provisions of  the said Sections of      the Act.  It  is  well  established      that a rule making authority has no      power to make rules contrary to the      provisions of  the Act.  Therefore,      in our  view amendment of Rule 8 by      the  Amendment   Rules,   1993   is      contrary to  the provisions  of the      Act and,  therefore,  it  is  ultra      vires".      Except saying  that  "preparation  of  electoral  rolls cannot be synonymous with the adoption of any electoral roll in view  of the  fact  that  the  two  concepts  are  widely different and  opposed to  each other",  no other  reason is given does not appear to be clear or cogent. Statutory rules could not have been struck down on such ambiguous reasoning. Sub-rules (3) and (4), which have been struck down, say that the relevant  portion of the electoral rolls of the Assembly constituency shall  be the  electoral  rolls  for  the  Gram Panchayat/Panchayat Samiti/Zilla Parishad, whereas sub-rules (5), (6)  and (7)  - which  too have been struck down - deal with and  provide for  the "First  General Election".  These sub-rules too  provide  that  the  electoral  rolls  of  the Assembly constituency  shall be  split up  appropriately for the purpose of the First General Election in respect of Gram Panchayat, Panchayat  Samiti and Zilla Parishad, as the case may be.  These are treated as draft electoral rolls land are published as  such. After  receipt of  objections/claims, if any, final  electoral rolls  are published. Thus, these sub- rules are  not only  not inconsistent with Sections 176, 177 and 186,  they are indeed made pursuant to the said sections and are  meant to carry out the purposes of the enactment as a whole.      For the above reasons, we set aside the judgment of the High Court declaring proviso (ii) to sub-rule (3) of Rule 3, proviso (ii)  to sub-rule  (4) of Rule 6 and proviso (ii) to clause (c)  of  sub-rule  (4)  of  Rule  8  of  the  Tripura Panchayats [Delimitation  of Constituencies] Rules, 1993 and sub-rules (3)  to (7)  of Rule 8-A of the Tripura Panchayats [Preparation of  Electoral Rolls ] Rules, 1993 as ultravires the Constitution  of India  and Tripura  Panchayats Act.  We declare the  said  provisions  to  be  perfectly  valid  and effective.      The civil  appeal preferred by the State is accordingly allowed with  costs. The  appellant’s costs are estimated at Rs.10,000/- consolidated.      Now coming  to the  appeal [arising  from Special Leave Petition  (C)  NO.10413  of  1994]  preferred  by  the  writ petitioner,  the   only  contention  advanced  is  that  the Constitution and  the Act  contemplate  the  State  Election Commissioner to  be an independent authority, not subject to the control of the State government, whereas sub-rule (3) of Rule 3  of the  Tripura Panchayats  [Constitution  of  State Panchayat Election Commission] Rules, 1993 provides that the tenure of  the said  Election Commissioner  shall be  foe  a period not  exceeding six  months at a time providing at the

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 8 of 8  

same time  for  reappointment  and  that  such  a  provision detracts  from   and  militates   against  the   concept  of independence  of  such  authority.  The  contention  of  Sri Jaideep Gupta,  learned counsel  for the writ petitioner, is that the  State Election  Commissioner is  akin to the Chief Election Commissioner  under the  Constitution and  that the appointment of  the State  Election Commissioner should also be on  a permanent  basis just  as  in  the  case  of  Chief Election Commissioner.  Limiting his  tenure to a period not exceeding six  months and  at the  same time providing for a reappointment diminishes and affects its independence, it is submitted. We  are unable to agree. Be that as it may, it is not suggested  that the  elections conducted  by  the  State Election  Commissioner   were  not   properly  of  the  said limitation of  he tenure. The contention, in our opinion, is untenable and has rightly been rejected by the High Court.      We may  clarify  that  we  have  dealt  with  only  the questions relating  to the  validity of  the Rules  in  this judgment  .   We  declined   to  go  into  the  validity  or correctness of  the proceedings  taken or  acts  done  under those Rules,  since those are matters outside the purview of the writ  petition [See  Anugrah Narain  Singh v.  State  of Uttar Pradesh [1996 (8) J.T.733 (S.C.)].      Accordingly,  the   appeal  preferred   by   the   writ petitioner, Sri Ratanlal Nath, is dismissed. No costs.