Smt. Bhagwati Devi vs District Election Officer/ District ...
2026 Latest Caselaw 1246 UK

Uttarakhand High Court

Smt. Bhagwati Devi vs District Election Officer/ District ... on 19 February, 2026

Author: Alok Kumar Verma

Bench: Alok Kumar Verma

                                                 2026:UHC:1101

     IN THE HIGH COURT OF UTTARAKHAND
                AT NAINITAL
THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE ALOK KUMAR VERMA
                 19TH FEBRUARY, 2026

       WRIT PETITON NO.370 of 2026 (M/S)

Smt. Bhagwati Devi                          .....Petitioner

                           Versus

District Election Officer/ District Magistrate, Almora and
Others                                      ....Respondents


Counsel for the Petitioner:       Mr. Bhupendra Prasad,
                                  Advocate holding brief of
                                  Mr. M.C. Upadhyay,
                                  Advocate.

Counsel for the Respondent : Mr. Sanjay Bhatt,
Nos.1 to 3                   Advocate.


Hon'ble Alok Kumar Verma,J.

This writ petition has been filed under Article 227

of the Constitution of India with the following prayers:-

"(i) Issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus directing the Learned Court concerned i.e. Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Tehsil Bhikiyasain, District Almora to decide the Election Petition No. 12 of 2024-2025 "Smt. Bhagwati Devi Vs District Election Officer/District Magistrate Almora & Others" filed by the petitioner relating to the post of Gram Pradhan, Gram Panchayat Bajan, within a fixed and time-

bound period, preferably within such period as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit.

(ii) Issue any other writ, order or direction which this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the circumstances of the case.

(iii) To award the cost of petition in favor of petitioner."

2. Heard Mr. Bhupendra Prasad, learned counsel

2026:UHC:1101 appearing for the petitioner and Mr. Sanjay Bhatt, learned

counsel for the respondent nos.1 to 3.

3. On 18.02.2026, Mr. Sanjay Bhatt, Advocate,

appearing for the respondent nos.1 to 3, sought time to get

instructions.

4. Mr. Bhupendra Prasad, learned counsel appearing

for the petitioner, on instruction, has requested to direct the

Prescribed Authority/ Sub-Divisional - Magistrate, Tehsil

Bhikiyasen, District Almora to decide the election petition

expeditiously.

5. The said request has not been opposed by Mr.

Sanjay Bhatt, Advocate.

6. The present Writ Petition is being disposed of on

the request of both the parties by directing the Prescribed

Authority/ Sub-Divisional - Magistrate, Tehsil Bhikiyasen,

District Almora to decide the Election Petition No.12 of

2024-2025 as early as possible without granting any

unnecessary adjournment to either of the parties.

7. It is made clear that this Court has not expressed

any opinion on the merit of the case.

__________________ ALOK KUMAR VERMA, J.

Date: 19.02.2026 Pant/