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PETITIONER: KASAMBAHI F. GHANCHI

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: CHANDUBHAI D.RAJPUT & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       25/11/1997

BENCH: B.N. KIRPAL, M. JAGANNADHA RAO

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                THE 25TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1997 Present:                  Hon’ble the Chief Justice                  Hon’ble Mr.Justice B.N.Kirpal                  Hon’ble Mr.Justice M. Jagannadha Rao Soli J. Sorabjee, Sr. Adv., Y.N.Oza, Manoj Wad, Ms. J.S.Wad, and Yashank Adhyaru, Advs. with him for the appellant Pallav Siscdia,  Anil Shrivastava, Ms. Sumita Hazarika Advs. for the Respondent No.1 Prashant Kumar,  (Ms.Alka Aggarwal),  Adv. for I.M.Nanavati, Advs for the Respondent No.2                 J U D G M E N T / O R D E R The following Judgment of the Court was delivered: Verma, CJI:      The only  question which  arises for  consideration  in this appeals  is whether  the appellant,  who belongs  to  a backward  class   but  had  been  elected  to  the  Jambusar municipality  from  an  unreserved  seat,  could  stand  for election for the post of President of the Municipality which was reserved  for a  backward class candidate or whether the candidate for  that post  could only  be a  person  who  was elected to  the municipality  from a seat which was reserved for the backward class.      With a  view to  provide for  setting up  of democratic institutions at  the grass  root level,  by virtue  of  73rd Amendment  to   the  Constitution,  Part-IXA  providing  for establishment of  the municipalities was incorporated in the Constitution.   Article 243  Q, inter alia, provides for the setting up of municipalities in urban areas and Article 243- T requires  all seats  in the municipalities to be filled by persons chosen  by direct  election.   For this purpose each municipal  area   is  to   be   divided   into   territorial constituencies to  be known as wards from where the election takes place.   Reservation  of seats  for Scheduled  Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women is required to be provided for by virtue of  Article 243  T of the Constitution which reads as follows:      "243-T.- Reservation of seats - (1)      Seats shall  be  reserved  for  the      Scheduled Castes  and the Scheduled

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    Tribes in  every  Municipality  and      the number  of  seats  so  reserved      shall bear,  as nearly  as may  be,      the same  proportion to  the  total      number of  seats to  be  filled  by      direct     election     in     that      Municipality as  the population  of      the   Scheduled   Tribes   in   the      municipal   area   bears   may   be      allotted by  rotation to  different      constituencies in a Municipality.      (2) Not  less than one-third of the      total  number   of  seats  reserved      under clause  (1) shall be reserved      for   women    belonging   to   the      Scheduled Castes or as the case may      be, the Scheduled Tribes.      (3)   Not   less   than   one-third      (including  the   number  of  seats      reserved for women belonging to the      Scheduled Castes  and the Scheduled      Tribes)  of  the  total  number  of      seats  to   be  filled   by  direct      election  in   every   Municipality      shall be  reserved  for  women  and      such  seats   may  be  allotted  by      rotation        to        different      constituencies in a Municipality.      (4) The  offices of Chairpersons in      the   Municipalities    shall    be      reserved for  the Scheduled Castes,      the Scheduled  Tribes and  women in      such manner as the legislature of a      State may, by law, provide.      (5) The  reservation of seats under      Clauses  (1)   and  (2)   and   the      reservation    of     offices    of      Chairpersons   (other    than   the      reservation for women) under Clause      (4) shall  cease to  have effect on      the  expiration   of   the   period      specified in Article 334.      (6)  Nothing  in  this  Part  shall      prevent the  Legislature of a State      from  making   any  provision   for      reservation   of   seats   in   any      Municipality    or    offices    of      Chairpersons in  the Municipalities      in  favour  of  backward  class  of      citizens."      The aforesaid article not only provides for reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and women in  the   municipalities  but   also  envisages   that  such reservation of  seats shall  be by rotation.  In addition to reservation to  the  municipalities,  sub-article  (4)  also contemplates the  state Legislatures  providing, by law made in  this  behalf,  reservation  for  the  Scheduled  Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women to the post of chairperson in the municipalities.   Further to  the aforesaid  reservation for Scheduled Castes,  Scheduled Tribes  and women,  sub-article (6) of  Article 243T empowers the State Legislatures to make provision for  reservation of  seats, in any municipality or offices of  Chairperson in  the municipalities, in favour of backward class citizens.      The Gujarat Municipal Act 1963 was amended by Act 17 of

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1993 so  as to bring it in conformity with the provisions of Part IXA  of the  Constitution.   Section 6  of the  Gujarat Municipal Act  made provision  for reservation  of seats for Scheduled Castes,  Scheduled Tribes,  backward  classes  and women out of the total number of seats of Councillors in the municipalities.   The  relevant  provisions  of  Section  6, namely, sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) are as follows:      "Municipality to consist of elected Councillors:      (1)  Every   municipality  shall   consist  of  elected           councillors.      (2) The number of such councillors shall be      (a) 21 in the case of a nagar panchayat      (b) 27, if the population of the municipal borough           exceeds 25,000 but does not exceed 50,000.      (c) 36,  if the  population of  the  municipal  borough           exceeds 50,000 but does  not exceed 1,00,000,      (d) 42,  if the  population of  the  municipal  borough           exceeds 1,00,000 but does not exceed 2,00,000, and      (e) 51,  if the  population of  the  municipal  borough           exceeds 2,00,000.      (3) Out  of the total number of seats of councillors in           a municipality,  there shall be reserved seats for           Scheduled  Castes,   Scheduled  Tribes,   backward           classes and women as follows, namely :-      (a) Seats shall be reserved by the State Government for           the scheduled  castes and  the Scheduled Tribes in           every municipality  and the  Scheduled  Tribes  in           every minicipality  and the  number  of  seats  so           reserved shall bear, as nearly as may be, the same           proportion to  the total  number of  seats  to  be           filled by  direct election in that municipality as           the population  of the  Scheduled Castes  in  that           municipal area  or of the Scheduled Tribes in that           municipal area  bears to  the total  population of           that area  and  such  seats  may  be  allotted  by           rotation  to   different   constituencies   in   a           municipality in the prescribed manner.      (b) One-third  of the  total number  of seats  reserved           under clause  (a)  shall  be  reserved  for  women           belonging to  the Scheduled Castes or, as the case           may be, the Scheduled Tribes.      (c) One-tenth of the total number of seats to be filled           by direct  election in every municipality shall be           reserved for persons belonging to backward classes           and  one-third   of  the  seats  so  reserved  for           backward  classes  shall  be  reserved  for  women           belonging to the backward classes.  Such seats may           be   allotted    by    rotation    to    different           constituencies in the prescribed manner.      (d) One-third  (including the  number of seats reserved           for women  belonging to  the Scheduled castes, the           Scheduled Tribes  and the backward classes) of the           total number  of seats  to  be  filled  by  direct           election in  every municipality  shall be reserved           for women  and  such  seats  may  be  allotted  by           rotation  to   different   constituencies   in   a           municipality in the prescribed manner.      (e) The reservation of seats under clauses (a), (b) and           (c) (other  than the  reservation for women) shall           cease to  have effect  on the  expiration  of  the           period   specified   in   Article   334   of   the           Constitution of India.          XXX                   XXX                      XXX Explanation :-  For the purpose of this section: "Scheduled Castes"  means such  castes, races  or tribes  or

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parts of  or groups  within such  castes, races or tribes as are deemed  to be  Scheduled Castes in relation to the State of Gujarat under Article 341 of the Constitution of India. "Scheduled Tribes"  means such  tribes or tribal communities or  parts   of,  or  groups  within  such  tribe  or  tribal communities as are deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to  the   State  of   Gujarat  under   Article  342  of  the Constitution of India, and "Backward Classes"  means classes  declared as  Socially and Educationally Backward  Classes by the state Government from time to time."      Chapter 3  of the  Gujarat Municipalities  Act contains provisions relating  to Presidents  and Councillors  of  the municipalities. Section 33 of the Gujarat Municipalities Act provides for  the term  of  office  of  President  and  Vice President and reads as follows:      "Term of  office of  President  and      Vice-President:-      (1) (a)  The term  of office of the      President shall  be for a period of      one year.      (b) Subject to the other provisions      of  this   section,  the  President      shall be eligible for re-election.      provided that the term of office of      such  president  or  vice-president      shall be  deemed to  extend to  and      expire with  the date  on which his      successor is elected.      (2) If  during his  term of  office      under    sub-section    (1),    the      president or  vice-president ceases      to be  a councillor he shall vacate      the office held by him.      (3) The  office of the President in      every   municipality    shall    be      reserved by  the  state  Government      for  Scheduled   Castes,  Scheduled      Tribes, backward  classes and women      in the  prescribed  manner.    Such      reservation shall be made as nearly      as may be in the same proportion as      is made  under sub-section  (3)  of      section 6  in their  favour in  the      total number  of seats to be filled      in by direct election.      (4) On  the expiry  of the  term of      the office  of the  councillors  of      the   Municipality,   the   current      administrative duties of the office      of the  president and  of the  vice      president of the Municipality shall      be carried  on by  such officer  of      the state  Government as  it may by      order specify in that behalf, until      such time as a new president, vice-      president shall  have been  elected      and shall  have  been  elected  and      shall have taken over the charge of      their duties."      It is  in order  to give  effect to  the provisions  of article 243  T that the State Government, in exercise of the rule making  powers conferred on it by Section 277 read with aforesaid sub-section  (3) of  Section  33  of  the  Gujarat Municipalities Act,  1963, framed the Gujarat Municipalities

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(Reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Class and women for office of President) Rules, 1994.  Rules 2 and  3, which  are relevant  in the  present case,  are as follows:      "2   Reservation   in   favour   of      Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes,      Backward Classes  and  Women:-  The      office  of   the  President   of  a      Municipality shall  be reserved  in      favour   of    scheduled    castes,      Scheduled Tribes,  Backward Classes      and Women  in accordance  with  the      roster shown in Schedule.      3.  Reservation   to  continue  for      casual vacancies:-  If any election      is be  held for filling up a casual      vacancy  that  has  arisen  in  the      office  of   the   president,   the      reservation, if any, applicable for      the   office    of   the   previous      President (whose  term has not been      completed) shall  continue for such      election."      The Schedule  to the  Rules,    envisaged  by  Rule  5, contains the roster and indicates in what manner the post of the President  of the  Municipality  is  to  rotate  amongst different  categories   of  Councillors,  namely,  Scheduled Castes, Backward  Class, women  and general.   In respect of Category A  municipalities, roster  point was  worked out on the basis  of Schedule  Castes-1, Backward  Class-1, Women-3 and General-5.   On  this basis, with regard to the Jambusar Municipality, with  which we  are concerned  in the  present case, the office of the President in 1997 was required to be filled by backward class candidates.      The appellant,  though belonging to backward class, had been elected  to a ward which was in the general category in the  general   elections  held   on  28th   December,  1994. Respondent No.1  was elected  in a  by-election held on 25th August,  1995  to  one  reserved  seat  for  backward  class category which  had fallen  vacant.   As per  the  roster  a person belonging  to a  backward class was to hold to office of the  President of the Minicipality for the term beginning in 1997.  Anticipating that  Councillors  belonging  to  the backward classes,  who may  have been elected from the seats meant for  general category, like the appellant herein, were also likely  to  contest  in  the  election  for  President, respondent no.1  filed a  writ petition  in the Gujarat High Court. The  claim of the said respondent no.1 was that those backward class  members of  the municipalities  who had  not been elected as members from the seats reserved in favour of backward classes  were not  entitled to contest the election for the  office of  President.   In other words according to the  said   respondent  it  is  only  those  backward  class candidates who  had been  elected from  the wards  which had been reserved  for backward  classes  who  could  stand  for election for the post of President in the third year when as per the roster the office of President had to be filled by a backward class candidate.      The writ   petition  filed by  the said  respondent wad dismissed but  then an  application for  review was filed on the basis that the decision of the single judge was contrary to the  judgment of this Court in the case of Saraswati Devi Vs. Shanti  Devi (1997)  1 SCC  122 The  review petition was allowed, the  judgment  dismissing  the  writ  petition  was recalled and  thereafter the  writ  petition  filed  by  the

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respondent no.1  was  allowed  holding  that  the  appellant herein,  who  is  the  meantime  had  been  elected  as  the President pursuant to the election which was held, could not have stood  for election  because he was not a member of the Municipality from a seat which was reserved in favour of the backward class  as he  had been elected to a seat falling in the general  category.   The Letters  Patent Appeal filed by the appellant  was dismissed.  Both the Single Judge as well as the  Division Bench decided against the appellant in view of the  aforesaid decision of this Court in Saraswati Devi’s case.      Mr. Soli  J. Sorabjee,  learned senior  counsel for the appellant, submitted  that the  decision in Saraswati Devi’s case  requires  reconsideration  in  as  much  as  the  said decision runs  counter to the provisions of the Constitution and the  Gujarat Municipalities  Act and  the  rules  framed thereunder.   On behalf  of the  respondent, however, it was submitted that  Saraswati Devi’s  case correctly  interprets the relevant  provision and  there is no reason why the view taken therein should be departed from.      Before referring  to Saraswati  Devi’s case, it will be appropriate to examine the provisions of the Constitution as well as  the Act the Rules for their true import and effect. As  is  evident  from  the  provisions  quoted  earlier  the municipalities are  required to  be represented  by  members belonging to  all sections  of the society.  Keeping in line with the  Constitutional mandate  there is now provision for reservation of  seats in the municipalities in favour of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and the women.  In addition thereto the post of the President of the Municipality, which  has a tenure of only one year, is to be filled by  rotation from  amongst the  persons belonging  to different classes.   Though,  the term of office is only for one year  but Section  33 envisages  that the  Provisions of sub-section (3) which provides for reservation of the office of the  President to  be filled  by different  categories by rotation.   There is  no indication or suggestion in Article 243 T or in the Act that in case the office of the President is required  to be  filled by  a member  who is  a Scheduled Caste, Schedule  Tribe, Backward Class or a woman, then only a member who has been elected from a reserved seat can stand for election.   In  other words, for the purpose of election to  the   post  of   President  the   reservation  which  is contemplated by  the act  is only  to the  effect  that  the person elected  should belong  to the  category of  Schedule Caste, Schedule  Tribe, Backward  Class or woman, as per the roster.   Conceivably, as  in the  present case,  an elected member may  fall within  two or more categories and, in this way, may  be in  a position to seek re-election as envisaged by Section  33 of the Gujarat Municipal Act.  If this is not so, and  with the  category changing  every year, as per the roster, Section  33 will  become redundant.  The legislative intent, therefore,  clearly  is  that  one  person,  whether elected from  reserved or  general seat,  but who belongs to the category  out of  which the  President is to be elected, can seek re-election as envisaged by Section 33 of the Act.      The rules  framed under the Act also do not contain any provision that  only members  elected to  the reserved seats will be  eligible to  stand for  election of  the  President when, as per the roster, the office is required to be filled by a person belonging to a particular category.      By providing  for the  officer of  the President  to be filled from  different categories of persons by rotation the effect is  that, as  per the roster point, the office of the President is  required to  be filled  from  a  specified  or

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particular class,  e.g. the  Scheduled Caste,  or  Scheduled Tribe or  Backward class or woman, then all other members of the municipality  who do  not fall  under that category, are all excluded from contesting the election.  The eligibility, and corresponding  exclusion,of others  is determined on the basis of  the candidate  answering to the description of the category or  caste for  whom the  post is  reserved  as  per roster and  not the  nature of  constituency from  which the person is  electe.   For example  when  as  per  roster  the candidate for  the President’s  post has  to be  a Scheduled Caste then  the Act  and the Rules do not provide that it is only that  Scheduled Caste  candidate who  has been  elected from Scheduled Caste ward who can stand for election and the other Scheduled  Castes candidates  are  not  eligible  even though  they   were  popular  enough  to  get  elected  from unreserved wards.      The idea  of providing  reservation for  the benefit of the weaker  sections of  the society  is not  only to ensure their participation  in the  conduct of  the affairs  of the municipality but it is also can effort to improve their lot. The reservation ensures that the specified minimum number of persons belonging  to that  category become  members of  the municipality.   If because  of  their  popularity  a  larger number  of  Scheduled  castes,  Scheduled  Tribes,  Backward Classes or  women get  elected to  the municipality than the number of  reserved seats  that would  be welcome.  When the idea is  promote the  weaker sections of the society, and to improve their  lot, it  would be a contradiction in terms if members belonging to that section are debarred from standing to the  office of  the President because such a candidate is popular enough  to get  elected from a general constituency. It is  fundamental principle  of democratic  election that a person who  is more  popular is  elected,  popularity  being measured by  the number of votes which the person gets.  The language of  various legal  provisions do  not  in  any  way suggest, expressly  or by  necessary implication,  that even though a  person who  belongs to  a reserved category and is popular enough  to get  elected from  a general constituency should  be  barred  from  contesting  the  election  of  the President when  that office  is  to  be  filled  only  be  a reserved category person.      In Saraswati Devi’s case the appellant therein belonged to a  Scheduled Caste  category and  had been  elected as  a member of  the Loharu  Municipality Committee  from the ward reserved for  Scheduled Caste  woman  while  the  respondent therein, who  was also  a Scheduled  Caste woman,  had  been elected as  a member of the general category.  The office of the President, by virtue of the rotation, was required to be filled from amongst the members belonging to Scheduled Caste woman category.  Saraswati Devi being the solitary candidate elected from the ward reserved for Scheduled Caste woman was declared as having been elected unopposed as President. This decision was  challenged by  Shanti Devi  on the ground that she was  also a  Scheduled Caste  woman, though elected to a seat reserved  for general  category  and  was  entitled  to contest the  election for  the President.  The writ petition was allowed  by the High Court who held that Shanti Devi was also entitled  to contest  the election  to the  post of the President even  though  she  had  been  elected  to  a  seat reserved for general category.  In allowing the appeal filed by Saraswati  Devi the  court had to construe the provisions of Rule  70(4) of  the Haryana Municipal Election Rules 1978 which, inter alia, provided that offices of the President in the minicipalities  shall be  filled  up  from  amongst  the members  belonging  to  the  general  category.    Scheduled

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Castes, Backward  Classes and women by rotation and that not less than  one-third of  the total  number of offices of the President in  the municipalities shall be reserved for women including the  offices reserved  for  Scheduled  Castes  and Backward Classes  women.   It also provided that in case the office is  required to  be filled  by woman  of  a  reserved category but  such women  are not available, then the office of the President shall filled up from the male member of the said reserved  category.   Section 10(5) of the relevant act provided that the offices of President in the municipalities shall be  filled up  from amongst  the members  belonging to general category,  Scheduled Castes,  Backward  Classes  and women by  rotation and  by lots  in the  manner  prescribed. Interpreting these provisions it was observed at page 128 as follows:      "On a  combined reading  of Article      243 T of the Constitution of India,      Sections 10(5)  and 18  of the  Act      and sub-rule  (4)  of  Rule  70  of      Election Rules,  it  becomes  clear      that  Parliament  as  well  as  the      legislature  have   enacted   these      provisions in  order to provide for      reservation  of   office   of   the      President for  members of Scheduled      castes, Scheduled  Tribes, Backward      Classes and  women in  rotation.  A      bare reading  of section  10(5) and      Rules 70(4)  shows that the offices      of the  Presidents are to be filled      from amongst  members belonging  to      different  categories  by  rotation      and by  lots.   It is  not disputed      that  the   post  of  President  of      Loharu Municipal  Committee at  the      relevant  time   was  reserved  for      Scheduled Caste  women.   So far as      the appellant is concerned, she has      been elected  from Ward  No.5 on  a      seat reserved  for Scheduled  Caste      women.  Therefore, in that category      she   is   the   sole   though   by      coincidence  she  also  belongs  to      Scheduled Caste  but  she  was  not      elected  on  a  seat  reserved  for      Scheduled Caste  women,  but  on  a      seat reserved  for General category      women from Ward No.11  It is not in      dispute that  in  that  ward  there      were other  contesting  women,  not      belonging  to   General   category.      Therefore,  respondent  No.1  is  a      member who  is elected  on the seat      earmarked  for   General   category      women; she  cannot be  said to be a      member elected  on a  seat reserved      for Scheduled Caste women.  In Ward      No.5  from   where  the   appellant      contested, and only Scheduled Caste      women  could have contested and ion      that context  the appellant emerged      a   Scheduled    Castes   and   not      belonging to  the category of women      to which  Respondent No.1  belongs,      Consequently both of them cannot be

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    treated to  form a  part and parcel      of the  same category  of seats  on      which they have got elected.  It is      true  as   contended   by   learned      counsel  for  Respondent  No.1  and      which contention  has  appealed  to      the  High  Court  that  Rule  70(4)      mandates  that   the   offices   of      Presidents  of  the  Municipalities      shall be  filled up from amongst of      the Municipalities  shall be filled      up   from   amongst   the   members      belonging   to    the    categories      concerned mentioned  in  the  Rule.      But the  said phraseology  does not      imply that  the members must belong      to   a    particular   caste   like      Scheduled Castes,  Backward Classes      etc.  because   the  general  words      "members belonging to" are followed      bu different  types of classes like      General   category,   category   of      Scheduled   Caste,    category   of      Backward Classes  and  category  of      women  as  mentioned  in  the  said      Rule.   It is  obvious that General      category has  nothing  to  do  with      castes, similarly  Backward Classes      having nothing  to do  with  castes      and the  category of  women is also      separately indicated.  That is also      not  having   any  nexus  with  the      castes.   When the  thrust  of  the      Rule  is   that  offices   of   the      Presidents in  Municipalities  must      go by rotation to members belonging      to  the  specified  categories,  it      would  necessarily   means  in  the      context of the parent Article 243 T      of the  Constitution of  India  and      Section 10(5)  of the  Act that the      elected members  concerned  of  the      Municipal Committee  must have  got      elected on  the seats  available to      General  category   candidates   or      Scheduled      Castes      category      candidates  or   Backward   Classes      category candidates  General  women      category candidates  rotation.  The      very    concept     of     rotation      presupposes that for the context of      Presidentship once  by  rotation  a      reservation  is  made  for  members      elected from  a particular category      only those  members can contest for      Presidentship.   As admittedly  the      post    of     President,    Loharu      Municipality is subjected to double      reservation of being available only      to  an  elected  member  who  is  a      Scheduled Caste woman she must have      been elected on the Scheduled Caste      seat from  the  ward  reserved  for      such  Scheduled  Caste  candidates.      As  admittedly  only  three  wards,

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    namely, 1,4  and 5 are reserved for      members  belonging   to   Scheduled      castes and  even out of three wares      only  ward   No.5  from  which  the      appellant was  elected was reserved      for Scheduled  Caste women  and  as      President’s post  is  reserved  for      being  filled   up  by   a   member      belonging  to   the   category   of      Scheduled Caste  women who has been      elected on  such a seat, Respondent      1 who is elected as a member not on      any  seat  reserved  for  Scheduled      Caste women  but on a seat reserved      for general  category of women from      Ward No.11  is obviously out of the      arena of  contest for  the post  of      Presidentship       of       Loharu      Municipality."      Neither the  provisions of Article 243 T nor of Section 10(5) of  the Haryana  Act seem  to suggest  to us that Rule 70(4), which  provides that  offices  of  the  President  of municipalities must  go on  rotation to members belonging to specified  categories,   must  necessarily  mean  "that  the elected members  concerned of  the municipal  committee must have  got   elected  members   concerned  of  the  municipal committee must  have got  elected to  the seats available to general category  candidates or  Scheduled  Castes  category candidate or  Backward Classes category candidate or general women category  candidates by  rotation."  There seems to be no warrant  for such  compartmentalisation and  nor  do  the words of  the act  or the Rules indicate that the concept of rotation presupposes that for the contest of President it is to be  from amongst  the members  elected from  a particular category from  the seats  reserved for  that category.  This inference which is sought to be drawn does not flow from the plain language  of Article  243 T  or from the provisions of the Act  or the Rules framed thereunder and it also does not promote the  object of  reservation.   The legal  provisions provide that  office of  the President  of the  municipality should go  by rotation  to  members  belonging  to  specific category and no more.  These provisions dot not provide that those members,  though falling  in the category of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled  Tribes, backward Classes or women must be only those who have been elected from the seats reserved for that category  of persons.  Reservation is with reference to the category/caste  to which  the person belongs and not the nature of constituency from which he/she was elected.      The Act  and the  Rules  provide  for  reservation  for Scheduled Castes,  Scheduled Tribes,  Backward  Classes  and women.  No reservation or clarifications made ward wise.  To put it  differently all members of the Scheduled Castes, for example,  will   be  regarded  as  belonging  to  one  class irrespective of  the fact whether they had been elected to a reserved seat or to a general seat.  Similar is the position with regard  to the  backward classes,  Scheduled Tribes and women.   The law  does not  contemplate or  provide for  any further  sub-classification  of  the  type  which  has  been suggested by  the respondents.   Just  as all members of the municipality, irrespective of the fact whether they had been elected to a reserved seat or not, are eligible for election to the  post of  the President  when it falls in the general category, similarly  when as per the roster the President is to be  one who,  say, belongs  to the  category of Scheduled Caste then all members of the municipality who are Scheduled

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Caste, irrespective  of the  seat to  which  they  had  been elected, would  be eligible  to stand for election.  Neither the Act  nor the  rules stipulate  that it  is only  such  a member who  has been  elected to the reserved seat who would be eligible  to stand  for election to the post of President when it  is the turn of that category of candidate to become the President of the municipality.      In our  opinion, therefore,  the conclusion  which  was arrived at  in Saraswati  Devi’s case  did not flow from the language  of   the  relevant   provisions  and,  it  is  not consistent with  the concept  of reservation.  With respect, it does not lay down the correct law.      From the  aforesaid  discussion  it  follows  that  the appellant who  belongs to the Backward Class was eligible to stand for  the office  of President  even though he had been elected as  a member of the municipality not from a reserved seat but  from a  general seat.   As  per the roster it is a Backward Class  member who  in the  year 1997  is to  be the President of  the Jambusar Municipality.  The appellant, who admittedly belongs to a Backward Class could not be regarded as being  ineligible merely  because he had not been elected to a  seat which  had been  reserved for  a  Backward  Class candidate.      Consequently his  election as  the President,  on  this ground, could not have been set aside. For the  aforesaid reasons  the judgment  of the  High Court under appeal  is set  aside as the election of the appellant cannot,  on   this  ground,   be   held   to   be   invalid. Consequently, the  writ petition  filed by  respondent  no.1 stands dismissed. No order as to costs.