High Court dismisses PIL seeking Construction of Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan in Masona Village

The Patna High Court has rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that requested the construction of the Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan in Amethi village, Masona. The petitioner, Mahendra Singh, argued that priority should be given to his village due to its higher population compared to Susadi village.

The court held that decisions regarding the construction of government buildings, such as the Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan, fall under the jurisdiction of the state authorities concerned and cannot be the subject of a PIL.

Chief Justice Vinod Chandran and Justice Partha Sarathi, presiding over the bench, stated that the appropriate authority to determine the location for constructing the Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan is the relevant department and/or local administration of the State of Bihar. This is evident from the letter dated November 26, 2019, which mandates the decision to be made by the respective District Magistrate.

The court dismissed the PIL, stating that decisions regarding the construction of government buildings, including the Panchayat Sarkar Bhawan, which are based on policy decisions of the State Government, are not suitable for PIL intervention.

The petitioner referred to a directive issued by the Principal Secretary of the Panchayati Raj Department, Bihar Government, in a letter addressed to all District Magistrates. The letter instructed the construction of a Panchayat government building at the headquarters of every panchayat. In cases where government land is unavailable, it suggested constructing it in another village with a larger population.

The Circle Officer of Sanjhauli, Rohtas, submitted a report to the District Magistrate of Rohtas, Sasaram, stating that Masona village has a larger population than Susadi village and suitable land is available for construction. Additionally, a public petition was filed in April 2023, highlighting the matter.

However, despite these actions, the petitioner alleged that the authorities were not taking any action, leading him to file the PIL.