18.08.2026 rc/ct.no.15 Item No.11 WPA No. 21011 of 2026 Krishna Mandal Sarkar Versus The State of West Bengal & Ors. Adv. Pritam Chowdhury Adv. Md. Habibur Rahman ..for the petitioner Adv. Amarendra Chakraborty Adv. Subhanwita Ghosh …for the State Adv. Mukteswar Maity Adv. Manika Sarkar …for the respondent no.8 Affidavit of service and supplementary affidavit filed by the petitioner are taken on record. The post of the Pradhan of Nizampur-I Gram Panchayat fell vacant following removal of the Pradhan by an order passed by the Prescribed Authority on June 25, 2026. The date of the meeting was fixed by the Prescribed Authority on July 27, 2026 but the meeting was not held due to reasons unknown to the petitioner. The petitioner initially sought a direction upon the Prescribed Authority to fix a date of meeting for election of the new Pradhan. During pendency of the writ petition, a notice has been issued by the Prescribed Authority on August 07, 2026 fixing the date of meeting today, i.e., on August 18, 2026. Learned counsel for the petitioner takes this Court to a notification issued by the District Magistrate and District Panchayat Election Officer of Uttar Dinajpur on December 30, 2022 whereby the office of the Pradhan of Nizampur-I Gram Panchayat has been reserved for schedule caste candidate. The petitioner seeks a direction upon the Prescribed Authority to consider the said notification in the meeting scheduled to be held today and take a decision with regard to the election of the new Pradhan. In view of the fact that the meeting for election of the new Pradhan is fixed today at 12.00 noon, the Prescribed Authority and the Block Development Officer, Goalpokher- II Block, being the 4th respondent herein, is directed to conduct the meeting and take necessary steps in terms of the notification dated December 30, 2022 and in accordance with the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973 as well as the West Bengal Panchayat (Constitution) Rules, 1975. The parties are at liberty to communicate the gist of the order to the Prescribed Authority at the earliest. The writ petition is disposed of. There shall, however, be no order as to costs. Since no affidavit is invited, the allegations contained in the writ petition are deemed not to have been admitted. Urgent certified website copy of this order, if applied for, be supplied to the parties upon compliance with all requisite formalities. (Suvra Ghosh,J) 2