02.09.2026 rc/ct.no.15 Item No.26 WPA No. 22658 of 2026 Sk. Selima Begum & Ors. Versus The State of West Bengal & Ors. Adv. Partha Sarathi Das Adv. Agni Jyoti Chanda Adv. Swarnali Ghosh Adv. Maria Sharwari ..for the petitioners Adv. Anup Dasgupta Adv. Anutosh Pathak …for the State Affidavit of service filed by the petitioner is taken on record. The Pradhan is not represented despite service. The petitioners who are the members of Bhagabatipur Gram Panchayat submitted a no confidence motion for removal of the Pradhan of the Panchayat which was received by the Prescribed Authority on August 13, 2026. The petitioners allege that no step has been taken by the Prescribed Authority in this regard since then. Learned counsel for the State submits that the motion contains stigma for which no step has been taken pursuant to the same. It appears from the motion that the petitioners have sought removal of the Pradhan since they have lost confidence on her administration. The contents of the motion cannot be said to be stigmatic. However, since the motion has not been acted upon by the Prescribed Authority within the statutory period of time prescribed under Section 12 of the West Bengal Panchayat Act, 1973, the motion has lapsed due to efflux of time. Liberty is granted to the petitioners to submit a fresh motion before the Prescribed Authority in terms of Section 12 of the Act. In the event such motion is submitted, the Prescribed Authority shall act in terms of the said provision of law, particularly the timeframe stipulated therein. 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