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Manipur High Court
Wahengbam Pramod Singh & Anr vs State Of Manipur & 4 Ors on 26 March, 2026
Author: A. Guneshwar Sharma
Bench: A. Guneshwar Sharma
Item No. 32-35
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR
AT IMPHAL
WP(C) No. 659 of 2023 with
MC(WP(C) No. 258 of 2023 with
MC(WP(C) No. 58 of 2024 with
MC(WP(C) No. 600 of 2024
Wahengbam Pramod Singh & Anr.
.....Petitioner/s
-Versus-
State of Manipur & 4 Ors.
....Respondent/s
BEFORE
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE A. GUNESHWAR SHARMA
Order
26.03.2026
[1] Heard Mr. L. Karnajit, learned counsel for the petitioners and
Mrs. Ch. Sundari, learned G.A. for the State respondent.
[2] The petitioner No. 1 is the President of Village Water and
Sanitation Committee , Wangoi Water Supply Scheme and petitioner No.
2 is Executive Member. The committee of the petitioners was given the
charge of the scheme by a handing over and taking over note/agreement
vide agreement dated 23.10.2017 for management of the Water Supply
Scheme in the village for the term one year and by another agreement
dated 30.11.2021, the petitioners' committee was given the same
assignment for another period of two years and this two years tenure
was to expire on 29.11.2023. Before the expiry of tenure of the
petitioners, the Executive Engineer, Imphal West PHED Division issued
a notice dated 04.09.2023 informing all the Village Water and Sanitation
Committee of Imphal West to reform the committees in terms of the
instruction given by Chief Executive Engineer, PHED by his letter dated
18.08.2023 informing all the Executive Engineers in all the revenue
districts for re-constitution of the Village Water and Sanitation
Committee.
[3] Being aggrieved by the same, the petitioners approached
this Court by way of the present writ petition praying for setting aside of
the notice dated 04.09.2023 in terms of the letter dated 18.08.2023
issued by the Chief Engineer, PHED. Vide order dated 26.09.2023
passed by this Court in the writ petition and MC(WP(C) No. 258 of 2023,
status quo as on that day was directed to be maintained and the interim
order has been extended from time to time.
[4] Mr. L. Karnajit, learned counsel for the petitioners, submits
that the notice dated 04.09.2023 be set aside.
[5] Mrs. Ch. Sundari, learned G.A. for the State respondent,
submits that the cause of the writ petition does not survive any longer.
The term of the committee has already expired i.e. on 29.11.2023.
However, on the strength of the interim order dated 26.09.2023, the
committee is still maintaining the scheme.
[6] Learned G.A. has drawn the attention of this Court to the
additional affidavit dated 25.02.2025 filed by respondent No. 1. In para
10 of the additional affidavit, it is stated that the direction in the letter
dated 18.08.2023 issued by the Chief Engineer, PHED is for renewal of
the committee whose term has already expired and the letter dated
18.03.2023 has subsequently been withdrawn by another letter dated
03.05.2024. In the circumstances, the cause of the writ petition of
challenging the notice dated 04.09.2023 does not exist as the instruction
in the letter dated 18.08.2023 has already been withdrawn and not acted
upon.
[7] In the circumstances, writ petition is disposed of as
infructuous. The State respondents are at liberty to appoint new
committee. Till the appointment of the new committee, the petitioners'
committee shall be in-charge of the scheme in terms of the agreement
dated 30.11.2021.
[8] Writ petition is disposed of in terms of the above. All misc.
applications are also disposed of. Interim order is merged with the final
order and accordingly modified.
KH. Digitally signed
by KH. JOSHUA
JOSHUA MARING JUDGE
Date: 2026.03.27
MARING 10:33:50 +05'30'
Kh. Joshua Maring
