JANABAIversusADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS

                       [2018] 11 S.C.R. 699                             699


                            JANABAI                                     A
                                 v.
        ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS
                  (Civil Appeal No. 6832 of 2018)
                      SEPTEMBER 19, 2018                                B
      [DIPAK MISRA, CJI, A. M. KHANWILKAR AND
             DR. D. Y. CHANDRACHUD, JJ.]
      Maharashtra Village Panchayat Act, 1958:
      s.14(1)(j-3) and 53 – Disqualification under s. 14(1)(j-3) –      C
Whether attracted, when encroachment is by the husband and
father-in-law of the candidate and not by the candidate herself –
Held: Legislative intent of s. 14(1)(j-3) is that encroachment has to
be viewed very strictly – The word ‘person’ in s.14(1)(j-3) should
not be construed narrowly – Therefore, when the candidate shares
                                                                        D
an encroached property and there is continuance, he/she has to be
treated as disqualified – Interpretation of Statutes – Purposive
Interpretation – Legislative Intendment.
      Dismissing the appeal, the Court
      HELD: 1. On a schematic appreciation of the Maharashtra           E
Village Panchayat Act, 1958, including Sections 10, 11 and 53
thereof, it is quite vivid that the Members elected in Panchayat
are duty bound to see to it that the obstruction or encroachment
upon any land, which is not a private property but Government
land or a public property, should be removed and prosecution
should be levied against the person creating such obstruction or        F
encroachment. [Para 27] [717-D-E]
       2. The word ‘person’ as used in Section 14(1)(j-3) of the
Act is not to be so narrowly construed as a consequence of which
the basic issue of “encroachment” in the context of disqualification
becomes absolutely redundant. The legislative intendment is that        G
encroachment or unauthorized occupation has to be viewed very
strictly and Section 53, therefore, provides for imposition of daily
fine. It is the Panchayat that has been conferred with the power
to remove the encroachment. It is the statutory obligation on the
                                                                        H
                                  699
700           SUPREME COURT REPORTS                    [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A     part of the Panchayat to protect the interest of the properties
      belonging to it. If a member remains in occupation of an
      encroached property, he/she has a conflict of interest. If an
      interpretation is placed that it is the first encroacher or the
      encroachment made by the person alone who would suffer a
      disqualification, it would lead to an absurdity. Giving purposive
B
      interpretation, it is held that when a person shares an encroached
      property by residing there and there is continuance, he/she has
      to be treated as disqualified. Such an interpretation subserves
      the real warrant of the provision. [Para 29] [718-H; 719-A-D]
           Sagar Pandurang Dhundare v. Keshav Aaba Patil and
C          others (2018) 1 SCC 340 – overruled.
           Devidas Surwade v. Commissioner, Amravati 2012 SCC
           OnLine Bom 2126 – stood affirmed.
           Parvatabai v. Commissioner, Nagpur 2015 SCC OnLine
D          Bom 6141; Sandip Ganpatrao Bhadade v.
           Commissioner, Amravati 2016 SCC OnLine Bom 8991;
           Anita Laxman Junghare v. Commr., Amravati 2017 SCC
           OnLine Bom 9102 – approved.
           Ganesh Arun Chavan v. State of Maharashtra 2012
E          SCC OnLine Bom 1393; Kanchan Shivaji Atigre v.
           Mahadev Baban Ranjagane 2012 SCC OnLine Bom
           1537; Abhiram Singh v. C.D. Commachen (2017) 2 SCC
           629 : [2017] 1 SCR 158; Jagdev Singh Sidhanti v.
           Pratap Singh Daulta [1964] 6 SCR 750; Hari Ram v.
           Jyoti Prasad and another (2011) 2 SCC 682 : [2011] 1
F           SCR 1076; Sankar Dastidar v. Banjula Dastidar
           (2006) 13 SCC 470 : [2006] 10 Suppl. SCR 101 –
           referred to.
                            Case Law Reference
      (2018) 1 SCC 340                overruled            Para 5
G
      2012 SCC OnLine Bom 1393        referred to          Para 6
      2012 SCC OnLine Bom 1537        referred to          Para 8
      2012 SCC OnLine Bom 2126        stood affirmed       Para 9

H     2015 SCC OnLine Bom 6141        approved             Para 10
  JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                701


2016 SCC OnLine Bom 8991                   approved          Para 12           A
2017 SCC OnLine Bom 9102                   approved          Para 13
[2017] 1 SCR 158                           referred to       Para 15
[1964] 6 SCR 750                           referred to       Para 15
[2011] 1 SCR 1076                          referred to       Para 20           B
[2006] 10 Suppl. SCR 101                   referred to       Para 20
      CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 6832
of 2018
      From the Judgment and Order dated 03.05.2017 of the High                 C
Court of Judicature at Bombay, Nagpur Bench at Nagpur in Writ Petition
No. 2742 of 2016
    Hrishikesh Chitaley, M/s. Mitter & Mitter Co., Nishant
Ramakantrao Katneshwarkar, Advs. for the appearing parties.
      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by                               D

       DIPAK MISRA, CJI 1. The singular question that emanates
for consideration in this appeal is whether the forums below as well as
the High Court is justified in disqualifying the appellant for continuing as
a member of the Gram Panchayat Kalamba (Mahali) on the ground that
there has been encroachment upon the government land since 1981 by             E
her father-in-law and husband and she is using the said land. There are
concurrent findings of fact that the father-in-law and the husband of the
appellant have encroached upon the government land and despite notice,
they have not vacated the same on one pretext or the other. As far as
these findings are concerned, we are not inclined to interfere with the        F
same as we are of the considered opinion that it is based on apposite
analysis of the materials on record.
      2. The pivotal issue that we have to address is whether the appellant
incurs disqualification under the Maharashtra Village Panchayat Act,
1958 (for short, ‘the Act’). Section 14 of the Act deals with the said         G
disqualification. The relevant part of Sections 14(1) and 14(1)(j-3) reads
as under:-
      “14. Disqualifications.- (1) No person shall be a member of a
      Panchayat continue as such, who-
                                                                               H
702               SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A              (a) to (j-2)       xxx              xxx               xxx
               (j-3) has encroached upon the Government land or public property.”
               3. The High Court, by the impugned order, has ruled:-
               “The learned Additional Commissioner has independently examined
               the material on record and has found that Gram Panchayat had
B
               issued notice in 2012 to father-in-law of the petitioner to remove
               the encroachment. However, it was not complied with and then
               again Gram Panchayat had sent another communication asking
               for removal of encroachment to which Shri Kashiram Gaikwad-
               husband of the petitioner gave reply on 29th June, 2012, accepting
C              that there was an encroachment and justified. The petitioner has
               not been able to point out any perversity in the findings of fact
               recorded by the subordinate authorities. I see no reason to interfere
               with the impugned order”.
             4. The order passed by the High Court is seriously criticised by
D     the learned counsel for the appellant on two counts, namely, it is absolutely
      laconic and further, on a proper interpretation of the provisions, by no
      stretch of imagination, it can be concluded that the appellant, as a person,
      has encroached upon the government land or public property.
             5. Learned counsel for the appellant has placed heavy reliance on
E     a two-Judge Bench decision in Sagar Pandurang Dhundare v. Keshav
      Aaba Patil and others1. In the said case, there was no allegation that
      the appellants were encroachers, inasmuch as their father/grand father
      had encroached the property and they were only the beneficiaries of the
      encroachment and the beneficiary of an encroachment was treated as
      an encroacher by the authorities. The Division Bench of this Court
F     referred to the decisions of the High Court of Bombay. We think it
      appropriate to refer to the same to appreciate the scenario in entirety.
             6. In Ganesh Arun Chavan v. State of Maharashtra2, decided
      on 24.09.2012, the petitioner therein had taken the stand that the
      encroachment was by his father and the house was constructed with
G     the income of his father. The High Court, in the said factual matrix, held
      as follows:-
               “10. There is nothing in the Act by which the concept of family or
               joint residence could be imported as far as the subject of
      1
          (2018) 1 SCC 340
H     2
          2012 SCC On Line Bom 1393
     JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                 703
                     [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

         disqualification is concerned. The said provision contemplates            A
         encroachment upon the Government land or public property by a
         person, as in this case, who is a Member of the Panchayat.
               x             x              x            x            x
         12. The Legislature has taken care and wherever the concept of
         family or joint residence has to be applied, specific provision in        B
         that behalf has been made either substantively or by way of an
         Explanation. For illustration, if the disqualification is under section
         14(1)(h) for failure to pay any tax or fee due to the panchayat or
         the Zilla Parishad, then, by virtue of Explanation 2, what the
         Legislature has done is to provide that failure to pay any tax or
         fee due to the panchayat or Zilla Parishad by a member of HUF             C
         or by person belonging to a group, then, that shall be deemed to
         disqualify all members of such family or as the case may be of
         the group or unit. Equally in case of clause 14(1)(g) where a
         person is said to be disqualified for having any interest either by
         himself directly or indirectly through or his partner, any share or       D
         interest in any work done by order of the panchayat or in any
         contract with by or on behalf of or employment with or under the
         panchayat, the Legislature by Explanation IA has clarified that a
         person shall not be disqualified under clause (g) by reason of only
         such person having a share or interest in any newspaper in which
         any advertisement relating to the affairs of the panchayat is             E
         inserted; or having a share or interest in the occasional sale to the
         panchayat of any article in which he regularly trades and having
         an occasional share or interest in the letting out or on hire to the
         panchayat of any article and equally having any share, interest in
         any lease for a period not exceeding ten years of any immovable           F
         property. Therefore, once the Legislature itself has clarified that
         an act of the member alone incurs or invites disqualification, then,
         by interpretative process it will not be possible to include in section
         14(1)(j-3), the act of encroachment by members of his family and
         for that purpose, disqualify the elected representative. It is the act
         of the person seeking to contest election or functioning as a             G
         member which alone will attract the provision in question.”
    7. Reference has been made to the decision in Yallubai Maruti
Kamble v. State of Maharashtra3 wherein the petitioner was elected
3
    WP No. 8497 of 2012, decided on 5.10.2012 (Bom)                                H
704               SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A     as the Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat and the allegation against him
      was that her husband and brother-in-law had made encroachment upon
      gairan land and constructed a house thereon. The stand of the petitioner
      was that the provision was not attracted and she could not be disqualified.
      Placing reliance on the decision in Ganesh Arun Chavan (supra), the
      Court held thus:-
B
             “14. However, when it comes to encroachment upon Government
             Land or Public Property, the Legislature is aware that ordinarily
             and normally such act “is gaining upon the rights or possession of
             another”. That may be an individual or a concerted act. Thus, it
             envisages acting either by himself or herself or jointly with others.
C            Therefore, the extent of participation and the role of a person
             therein assumes importance and significance. It may amount to
             entering upon a land and remaining there, occupying and possessing
             it or construction thereon. Equally, it may mean not just possessing
             a land but a Structure, Building, House thereon or a part thereof.
D            Hence, which act, when committed, by whom are all relevant
             matters together with the time factor, namely, prior to or after
             Petitioner’s marriage. Hence, in its wisdom if the Legislature
             disqualifies a person or a member only if the act is committed by
             him, then, it is not for this Court to probe it further. It is for the
             Legislature to take remedial steps if this is providing an escape
E            route to wrongdoers and lawbreakers. This Court cannot legislate
             nor can it step in to fill up an alleged lacuna or defect in law. It has
             been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court that if a matter,
             provision for which may have been desirable, has not been really
             provided for by the Legislature, the omission or defect in law is of
             the nature which cannot be cured or supplied by a mode of
F
             construction which amounts to ironing out the creases. (See Petron
             Engg. Construction (P) Ltd. v. CBDT4). True it is that the
             character and conduct of the representative of the people should
             be exemplary and setting a high standard. He will not be a true
             representative of the people if he indulges in acts which are
G            immoral, illegal and wrongful but the grievance should be raised
             before some other forum.”
           8. The two-Judge Bench has also dwelled upon the authority in
      Kanchan Shivaji Atigre v. Mahadev Baban Ranjagane5, wherein
      4
          1989 Supp (2) SCC 7
H     5
          2012 SCC On Line Bom 1537
    JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                               705
                    [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

the disqualification was on the ground of encroachment. The High Court          A
has opined that as per the provision, it is the act of the person who is
elected and that alone is to be considered. The High Court, in that
context, held thus:-
       “13. … Therefore, it is the act of the person contesting the poll as
       a candidate or the act of elected member himself as the case may         B
       be, that (sic) would disqualify them. It cannot be that somebody
       else commits an act of encroachment even if he is a Member of
       the same family but the consequences are visited on an elected
       representative or a person desiring to contest the election to Gram
       Panchayat. Even if such person is a Member of that family by
       marriage or otherwise, still, it will not be permissible to disqualify   C
       him or her as that would create a vacancy in the Gram Panchayat.
       It would not be possible to give broad based, wide and
       comprehensive representation of the public in a unit of local self
       government. The Gram Panchayat is envisaged to be a unit of
       local self-government in terms of Part IX of the Constitution of         D
       India. Therefore, the provisions with regard to disqualification will
       have to be construed in a manner so as not to create a vacuum or
       make it impossible for the villagers to choose their representative
       and constitute a Gram Panchayat. That will then create difficulties
       and obstacles in constituting a Panchayat. If that is equally not
       intended by the Statute in question, then, by interpretative process,    E
       I cannot do so and import or insert something in the provision,
       which is not there.”
       9. In Devidas Surwade v. Commissioner, Amravati6, a Division
Bench of the High Court took a different view. It ruled that the
encroachment by a member of the family of the elected person would              F
tantamount to encroachment by the elected candidate. The reasoning
of the said decision is as follows:-
         “6. We find that there is a definite object in making the said
         amendment to the provisions of disqualification and the object is
         that one, who encroaches upon the Government land or the               G
         Government property, cannot make any claim to represent the
         people by becoming an elected, member of the Gram Panchayat.
         The term person in the said amended provision has to be interpreted
         to mean the legal heirs of such person, who has encroached and
6
    2012 SCC On Line Bom 2126
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706             SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A            continues to occupy the Government land or the Government
             property, his agent, assignee or transferee or as the case may be.
             If such an interpretation is not made in the said provision, the
             result would be absurd in the sense that the Government land
             would continue to remain encroached and the legal heirs or the
             assignees or the transferees remaining on such encroached
B
             government land shall claim the right to get elected as a member
             of democratically elected body. In no case our conscious permits
             such type of interpretation to defeat the very object of the Bombay
             Village Panchayats (Amendment) Act, 2006.”
                                                               [Emphasis added]
C            10. It is worthy to note here that a similar issue came up for
      consideration before a Division Bench in Parvatabai v. Commissioner,
      Nagpur7. A contention was advanced that the house in question was
      standing in the name of the father of the petitioner and she could not
      have been disqualified under Section 14(1)(j-3) of the Act. An argument
D     was advanced that the encroachment should have been made by the
      person elected so as to attract disqualification and not encroachment
      made by member of the family. The learned single Judge, placing reliance
      on the Division Bench decision in Devidas Surwade (supra), came to
      hold that the contention raised by the petitioner was not acceptable.
             11. Be it noted, a special leave petition8 challenging the aforesaid
E     order was dismissed by this Court stating thus:-
             “We do not find any merit in this petition. The special leave petition
             is, accordingly, dismissed. Pending application, if any, stands
             disposed of. Stay granted by this Court on 15-10-2015, stands
             vacated.”
F            With the aforesaid expression of law, the controversy should have
      been put to rest but the fate of the proposition, as it seems, rose like a
      phoenix.
             12. In Sandip Ganpatrao Bhadade v. Commissioner,
      Amravati9, the authorities below had held that the elected candidate
G     was an encroacher being in occupation of the government land. The
      High Court, elaborating the scheme of the Act and the purpose of the
      provision, ruled thus:-
      7
        2015 SCC On Line Bom 6141
      8
        Parvatabai @ Shobha Kakde v. Additional Commissioner, SLP (C) No. 29255 of
        2015, order dated 4.1.2016
H     9
        2016 SCC On Line Bom 8991
JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                707
                [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

  “16. In view of the aforesaid meaning of the terminologies “to             A
  encroach”, “encroachment”, “encroacher” and “encroached”,
  whoever resides in the property or any portion thereof, which is
  an encroachment upon the Government land or public property,
  can be said to have “encroached” upon it and becomes an
  “encroacher”. Whether such an encroachment is jointly with others
                                                                             B
  and/or individually, either at one time or at different times remains
  hardly of any significance as he becomes liable to be removed
  and prosecuted under Section 53 of the said Act. Whether a person
  has become liable to be removed and/or prosecuted under Section
  53 of the said Act from the Government land or public property,
  becomes a real test of attracting disqualification under Section           C
  14(1)(j-3) of the said Act. If the answer is in the affirmative, the
  disqualification is incurred.
  17. In view of the aforesaid position, the provision of Section 14(1)(j-
  3) of the said Act is attracted even in a case where a member of
  a Panchayat resides in the property or any portion thereof, which          D
  is an encroachment upon the Government land or public property.
  The question as to whether any other person or a member of a
  family has already made an encroachment, loses its significance
  and as soon as a member or proposed member joins such act, he
  cannot escape from the clutches of disqualification under Section
  14(1)(j-3) of the said Act. The question framed is answered                E
  accordingly.
  18. If an intention of the Legislature is to prevent an encroachment
  upon the Government land or public property by a person, who is
  deemed to be a “public servant” under Section 184 entitled to
  enjoy all privileges attached to it under Section 180 of the said          F
  Act, can it be said that such an intention of the Legislature be
  defeated by adopting circuitous way of occupying the property,
  which is an encroachment on the Government land or public
  property. The answer would obviously be in the negative, for two
  main reasons - (i) the act, which is prohibited directly, cannot be        G
  promoted or encouraged indirectly to defeat the object and purpose
  of such prohibition, and (ii) it would amount to promoting or
  encouraging the conflicting interest, necessarily resulting in the
  disqualification under Section 14(1)(j-3) of the said Act.”

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708               SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A          13. In the same year, that is, 2017, the High Court in Anita Laxman
      Junghare v. Commr., Amravati10 ruled thus:-
               “6. … For attracting disqualification under section 14(1)(j-3), in a
               case like this, the crucial question to be answered is: Does the
               legal representative or member of the original encroacher’s family
B              continue to occupy the government land or property. If he does,
               he attracts the disqualification under Section 14(1)(j-3). It is not
               an answer then for such person that the original encroachment
               was by his predecessor or family member and not by himself. If
               that encroachment is continued by him, he attracts the
               disqualification. That was the case in Devidas Surwade. The
C              original encroachment may have been by the petitioner’s father,
               but after the death of his father, he continued to occupy the
               property and thereby attracted the disqualification of section 14(1)
               (j-3). On the other hand, in Kanchan’s case, it was the petitioner’s
               father-in-law, who was the encroacher; she had nothing to do
D              with it. It was not the case of the State that she continued to
               occupy the property either as a legal heir of her father-in-law or
               as a member of her husband’s family. The emphasis is really on
               the continued encroachment and not so much on the original act
               of encroachment. Encroachment, after all, is not a one-time act.
               It is a continuous act. If someone’s encroachment is continued by
E              another, that other is equally an encroacher, as much as the original
               encroacher.”
             14. Analysing the concept of removal from an elected post, the
      two-Judge Bench of this Court in Sagar Pandurang Dhundare (supra)
      held thus:-
F
               “11. Thus, under the statutory scheme, an encroacher is liable to
               be evicted by the Panchayat and if the Panchayat fails, the
               Collector has to take action. The encroacher is also liable to be
               prosecuted. Encroachment is certainly to be condemned, the
               encroacher evicted and punished. Desirably, there should not be
G              a member in the Panchayat with conflicting interest. But once a
               person is elected by the people, he can be unseated only in the
               manner provided under law. Even with the best of intention, if
               there is no statutory expression of the intention, the court cannot
      10
           2017 SCC OnLine Bom 9102
H
     JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                 709
                     [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

         supply words for the sake of achieving the alleged intention of the       A
         law maker. It is entirely within the realm of the law maker to
         express clearly what they intend. No doubt, there is a limited extent
         to which the court can interpret a provision so as to achieve the
         legislative intent. That is in a situation where such an interpretation
         is permissible, otherwise feasible, when it is absolutely necessary,
                                                                                   B
         and where the intention is clear but the words used are either
         inadequate or ambiguous. That is not the situation here. In the
         Act, wherever the law-makers wanted to specify family, they
         have done so. As noted by some of the judgments of the High
         Court, in Explanation 2 for Section 14(1)(h), the failure to pay any
         tax or fee due to the Panchayat or Zila Parishad by a member of           C
         a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) or by a person belonging to a
         group has been expressly mentioned as a disqualification on others
         in the family or group. It is, therefore, evident that when the intent
         of the legislature was to disqualify a member for the act of his
         family, it has specifically done so. The Court, in the process of
                                                                                   D
         interpretation, cannot lay down what is desirable in its own opinion,
         if from the words used, the legislative intention is otherwise
         discernible.”
       15. Be it noted, reference was made to Abhiram Singh v. C.D.
Commachen 11, wherein the Constitution Bench dealt with the
interpretation of Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act,             E
1951 (for short, ‘the 1951 Act’). The conflict that was sought to be
resolved related to Section 123(3) of the 1951 Act that had been dealt
with by another Constitution Bench in Jagdev Singh Sidhanti v. Pratap
Singh Daulta12 wherein the Court had held thus:-
         “25. … The corrupt practice defined by clause (3) of Section 123          F
         is committed when an appeal is made either to vote or refrain
         from voting on the ground of a candidate’s language. It is the
         appeal to the electorate on a ground personal to the candidate
         relating to his language which attracts the ban of Section 100
         read with Section 123(3). Therefore it is only when the electors          G
         are asked to vote or not to vote because of the particular language
         of the candidate that a corrupt practice may be deemed to be
         committed. Where, however for conservation of language of the
11
     (2017) 2 SCC 629
12
     (1964) 6 SCR 750 = AIR 1965 SC 183
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710            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                           [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A           electorate appeals are made to the electorate and promises are
            given that steps would be taken to conserve that language, it will
            not amount to a corrupt practice.”
             16. Various other decisions were also referred to in Abhiram
      Singh (supra). Analysing certain aspects, namely, the legislative history,
B     the provisions contained in Section 153-A IPC, amendment to sub-section
      (3) of Section 123 of the 1951 Act, literal versus purposive interpretation
      and the constitutional validity of Section 123(3) of the 1951 Act, Madan
      B. Lokur, J., held as under:-
            “50.1. The provisions of sub-section (3) of Section 123 of the
C           Representation of the People Act, 1951 are required to be read
            and appreciated in the context of simultaneous and
            contemporaneous amendments inserting sub-section (3A) in
            Section 123 of the Act and inserting Section 153A in the Indian
            Penal Code.
D           50.2. So read together, and for maintaining the purity of the electoral
            process and not vitiating it, sub-section (3) of Section 123 of the
            Representation of the People Act, 1951 must be given a broad
            and purposive interpretation thereby bringing within the sweep of
            a corrupt practice any appeal made to an elector by a candidate
            or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate
E           or his election agent to vote or refrain from voting for the
            furtherance of the prospects of the election of that candidate or
            for prejudicially affecting the election of any candidate on the
            ground of the religion, race, caste, community or language of (i)
            any candidate or (ii) his agent or (iii) any other person making the
F           appeal with the consent of the candidate or (iv) the elector.”
             17. T.S. Thakur, C.J., concurred with the view expressed by
      Madan B. Lokur, J. and did not agree with the view expressed by D.Y.
      Chandrachud, J. The learned Chief Justice in his concurring opinion
      stated:-
G           “There is thus ample authority for the proposition that while
            interpreting a legislative provision, the Courts must remain alive
            to the constitutional provisions and ethos and that interpretations
            that are in tune with such provisions and ethos ought to be preferred
            over others. Applying that principle to the case at hand, an
            interpretation that will have the effect of removing the religion or
H
JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                              711
                [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

  religious considerations from the secular character of the State or      A
  state activity ought to be preferred over an interpretation which
  may allow such considerations to enter, effect or influence such
  activities. Electoral processes are doubtless secular activities of
  the State. Religion can have no place in such activities for religion
  is a matter personal to the individual with which neither the State
                                                                           B
  nor any other individual has anything to do. The relationship
  between man and God and the means which humans adopt to
  connect with the almighty are matters of individual preferences
  and choices. The State is under an obligation to allow complete
  freedom for practicing, professing and propagating religious faith
  to which a citizen belongs in terms of Article 25 of the Constitution    C
  of India but the freedom so guaranteed has nothing to do with
  secular activities which the State undertakes. The State can and
  indeed has in terms of Section 123(3) forbidden interference of
  religions and religious beliefs with secular activity of elections to
  legislative bodies.”
                                                                           D
  18. S.A. Bobde, J., in his concurring opinion, expressed thus:-
  “It is settled law that while interpreting statutes, wherever the
  language is clear, the intention of the legislature must be gathered
  from the language used and support from extraneous sources
  should be avoided. I am of the view that the language that is used       E
  in Section 123(3) of the Act intends to include the voter and the
  pronoun “his” refers to the voter in addition to the candidate, his
  election agent etc. Also because the intendment and the purpose
  of the statute is to prevent an appeal to votes on the ground of
  religion. I consider it an unreasonable shrinkage to hold that only
  an appeal referring to the religion of the candidate who made the        F
  appeal is prohibited and not an appeal which refers to religion of
  the voter. It is quite conceivable that a candidate makes an appeal
  on the ground of religion but leaves out any reference to his religion
  and only refers to religion of the voter. For example, where a
  candidate or his election agent, appeals to a voter highlighting that    G
  the opposing candidate does not belong to a particular religion, or
  caste or does not speak a language, thus emphasizing the distinction
  between the audience’s (intended voters) religion, caste or
  language, without referring to the candidate on whose behalf the
  appeal is made, and who may conform to the audience’s religion,
                                                                           H
712               SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A              caste or speak their language, the provision is attracted. The
               interpretation that I suggest therefore, is wholesome and leaves
               no scope for any sectarian caste or language based appeal and is
               best suited to bring out the intendment of the provision. There is
               no doubt that the section on textual and contextual interpretation
               proscribes a reference to either.”
B
             19. This being the majority opinion, we have focussed on the same.
      The two-Judge Bench in Sagar Pandurang Dhundare’s case has
      distinguished the said decision by holding thus:-
               “Abhiram Singh v. C.D. Commachen (D) By Lrs. and others is
C              a recent Constitution Bench judgment of this Court dealing with
               corrupt practices. Appeal on the grounds of religion, race, caste,
               community, language, etc. of the candidates and the electorate,
               and canvassing votes accordingly, has been held to be a corrupt
               practice. The Court, to hold so, adopted a purposive interpretative
               process declaring that the Representation of the People Act, 1951
D              should be interpreted in that context to be electorate centric rather
               than candidate centric. That is not the situation in the present
               case. The appellants were elected by the people to the Panchayat.
               There is no case that they are original encroachers on the public
               property. And this is not the case where the alleged act of
E              encroachment has influenced the will of the people in which case,
               going by Abhiram Singh (supra), the court would have been
               justified in attempting a purposive interpretation to achieve a
               laudable object.”
             20. It also distinguished the decision in Hari Ram v. Jyoti Prasad
F     and another13. In the said decision, the issue that arose for consideration
      was whether the defendants had made illegal/unauthorized construction
      over the public street by way of illegal encroachment. The Court
      addressed the issue relating to limitation and referred to Section 22 of
      the Limitation Act, 1963, that deals with continuing breaches and torts.
      In this context, the Court, placing reliance on Sankar Dastidar v.
G     Banjula Dastidar14, held that the suit was not barred by limitation and,
      ultimately, did not find any substance in the appeal and dismissed the
      same with costs and directed the appellant to remove the unauthorized
      encroachment within sixty days from the date of the judgment. The
      13
           (2011) 2 SCC 682
H     14
           (2006) 13 SCC 470
  JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                    713
                  [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

two-Judge Bench, while distinguishing the said decision, opined that it            A
did not relate to interpretation of a statute pertaining to disqualification.
Frankly speaking, the said judgment has nothing to do with interpretation.
      21. Proceeding further, the Court in Sagar Pandurang Dhundare
opined that:-
      “14. As we have already noted above, the duty of the court is not            B
      to lay down what is desirable in its own opinion. Its duty is to
      state what is discernible from the expressions used in the statute.
      The court can also traverse to an extent to see what is decipherable
      but not to the extent of laying down something desirable according
      to the court if the legislative intent is otherwise not discernible.         C
      What is desirable is the jurisdiction of the law-maker and only
      what is discernible is that of the court.”
      And again:-
      “16. In case, the appellants suffer from any of the three situations
      indicated above, they shall be unseated. The rest is for the State           D
      to clarify by way of a proper amendment in case they really and
      truly want to achieve the laudable object of preventing persons
      with conflicting interest from becoming or continuing as members
      of the Panchayat. The extent of conflicting interest is also for the
      Legislature to specify.”                                                     E
      22. If we follow the principle stated in Sagar Pandurang
Dhundare, indubitably the appeal has to be allowed and the impugned
judgment and order are to be set aside. It is apt to mention here that in
Sagar Pandurang Dhundare, there has been reference to Section
53(1), (2) and (2-A). For the sake of completeness, it is profitable to            F
reproduce the said provision:-
      “53. Obstructions and encroachments upon public streets
      and open sites.-(1) Whoever, within the limits of the gaothan
      area of the village,—
      (a) builds or sets up any wall, or any fence, rail, post, stall, verandah,   G
      platform, plinth, step or structure or thing or any other
      encroachment or obstruction, or
      (b) deposits, or causes to be placed or deposited, any box, bale,
      package or merchandise or any other thing, or
                                                                                   H
714      SUPREME COURT REPORTS                        [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A     (c) without written permission given to the owner or occupier of a
      building by a Panchayat, puts up, so as to protect from an upper
      storey thereof, any verandah, balcony, room or other structure or
      thing.
      in or over any public street or place, or in or over upon any open
B     drains, gutter, sewer or aqueduct in such street or place, or
      contravences any conditions, subject to which any permission as
      aforesaid is given or the provisions of any byelaw made in relation
      to any such projections or cultivates or makes any unauthorised
      use of any grazing land, not being private property, shall, on
      conviction, be punished with fine, which may extend to fifty rupees
C     and with further fine which may extend to five rupees for every
      day on which such obstruction, deposit, projection, cultivation or
      unauthorised use continues after the date of first conviction for
      such offence.
      (2) The Panchayat shall have power to remove any such
D     obstruction or encroachment and to remove any crop
      unauthorisedly cultivated on grazing land or any other land, not
      being private property, and shall have the like power to remove
      any unauthorised obstruction or encroachment of the like nature
      in any open site not being private property, whether such site is
E     vested in the Panchayat or not, provided that if the site be vested
      in Government the permission of the Collector or any officer
      authorised by him in this behalf shall have been first obtained.
      The expense of such removal shall be paid by the person who has
      caused the said obstruction or encroachment and shall be
      recoverable in the same manner as an amount claimed on account
F     of any tax recoverable under Chapter IX.
      It shall be the duty of the panchayat to remove such obstruction
      or encroachment immediately after it is noticed or brought to its
      notice, by following the procedure mentioned above.

G     (2-A) If any Panchayat fails to take action under sub-section (2),
      the Collector suo motu or on an application made in this behalf,
      may take action as provided in that sub-section, and submit the
      report thereof to the Commissioner. The expense of such removal
      shall be paid by the person who has caused the said obstruction or

H
  JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                715
                  [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

         encroachment or unauthorised cultivation of the crop and shall be     A
         recoverable from such person as an arrear of land revenue.
         (3) The power under sub-section (2) or sub-section (2A) may be
         exercised in respect of any obstruction, encroachment or
         unathorised cultivation of any crop referred to therein whether or
         not such obstruction, encroachment or unauthorised cultivation of     B
         any crop has been made before or after the village is declared as
         such under this Act, or before or after the property is vested in
         the Panchayat.
         (3-A) Any person aggrieved by the exercise of the powers by the
         panchayat under sub-section (2) or (3) may, within thirty days        C
         from the date of exercise of such powers, appeal to the
         Commissioner and the Commissioner, after making such enquiry
         as he thinks necessary shall pass such orders as he deems
         necessary after giving such person a reasonable opportunity of
         being heard.
                                                                               D
         (3-B) Any order made by the Collector in exercise of powers
         conferred on him under sub-section (2A) or (3) shall be subject to
         appeal and revision in accordance with the provisions of the
         Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 (Mah. XLI of 1960).
         (4) Whoever, not being duly authorised in that behalf removes         E
         earth, sand or other material from, or makes any encroachment in
         or upon an open site which is not private property, shall, on
         conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to fifty rupees,
         and in the case of an encroachment, with further fine, which may
         extend to five rupees for every day on which the encroachment
         continues after the date of first conviction.”                        F
         23. Interpreting the said provision, the two-Judge Bench has opined
that:-
         “15. From the Statements of Objects and Reasons for the
         amendment introduced in 2006, it is seen that the purpose was “to
                                                                               G
         disqualify the person who has encroached upon the Government
         land or public property, from becoming member of the Panchayat
         or to continue as such”. The person, who has encroached upon
         the Government land or public property, as the law now stands,

                                                                               H
716            SUPREME COURT REPORTS                         [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A           for the purpose of disqualification, can only be the person, who
            has actually, for the first time, made the encroachment. However,
            in view of Section 53(1) of the Act, in case a member has been
            punished for encroachment, he shall be dismissed. Similarly, a
            member against whom there is a final order of eviction under
            Section 53(2) or (2A), shall also not be entitled to continue as a
B
            member.”
             24. As we understand from the above paragraph, the two-Judge
      Bench has been guided by the word ‘person’ as used in Section 14(1)
      and further influenced by the language employed in Section 53. That
      apart, the analysis made by the two-Judge Bench, as we notice, has
C     given a restricted meaning to the word ‘person’ who has encroached
      upon the government land or public land. It has also ruled that such a
      person is one who has actually for the first time encroached upon the
      government or public land. In Devidas Surwade (supra), the Division
      Bench of the Bombay High Court, placing reliance on the Statement of
D     Objects and Reasons and laying stress on the word ‘person’, noted that
      the legal heirs of an encroacher who continue to occupy the government
      land or government property are to be treated as encroachers. It has
      been held that if such an interpretation is not adopted, the result would
      be absurd, for the government land would continue to remain encroached
      and the legal heirs or the assignees or the transferees remaining on the
E     encroached government land shall claim the right to get elected as a
      member of a democratically elected body. According to the Division
      Bench of the Bombay High Court, such an interpretation would defeat
      the very object of the Bombay Village Panchayat (Amendment) Act,
      2006.
F           25. First, we are obliged to remind ourselves that the view
      expressed by the Bombay High Court in Devidas Surwade (supra) has
      been affirmed by this Court in Special Leave Petition. It is worth noting
      here that this Court, while dismissing the special leave petition, had
      observed that it had not found any merit in the petition. Whether such an
G     order would tantamount to be a binding precedent or not is another matter.
             26. We may hasten to add here that we do not intend to take the
      said route. We think it appropriate to analyse the provision, understand
      the purpose and the contextual relevance and also appreciate the nature
      of the provision in the backdrop of the democratic set-up at the grass
H
  JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                 717
                  [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

root level. Having said that, we shall now analyse the statutory scheme.        A
Section 53 that occurs in Chapter III deals with obstruction and
encroachment upon public streets and upon sites. It confers power on
the Panchayat to remove such obstruction or encroachment or to remove
any unauthorizedly cultivated grazing land or any other land. That apart,
it also empowers the Panchayat to remove any unauthorized obstruction
                                                                                B
or encroachment of the like nature in or upon a site not being private
property. The distinction has been made between private property and
public property. It has also protected the property that vests with the
Panchayat. If the Panchayat does not carry out its responsibility of
removing the obstruction or encroachment after it has been brought to
its notice in accordance with the procedure prescribed therein, the higher      C
authorities, namely, the Collector and the Commissioner, have been
conferred with the power to cause removal. There is a provision for
imposition of fine for commission of offence.
      27. On a schematic appreciation of the Act including Sections 10,
11 and 53, it is quite vivid that the Members elected in Panchayat are          D
duty bound to see to it that the obstruction or encroachment upon any
land, which is not a private property but Government land or a public
property, should be removed and prosecution should be levied against
the person creating such obstruction or encroachment.
      28. Section 184 of the Act provides that every Member of the              E
Panchayat and every officer and servant maintained by or being employed
under the Panchayat shall be deemed to be a public servant for the
purpose of Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code. Analysing the various
provisions, the learned Single Judge in Sandip Ganpatrao Bhadade
(supra) has opined:-
                                                                                F
      “11. It is in the background of the aforesaid provisions of law, that
      the provisions of qualifications and disqualifications to vote, contest
      the election and being continued as a member of Panchayat, are
      required to be considered. Section 13 of the said Act deals with
      the persons qualified to vote and be elected. The persons incurring
      any disqualification under the provisions of the said Act are neither     G
      qualified to vote nor to be elected as a member of a Panchayat.
      Section 14 deals with different kinds of disqualifications, as
      stipulated in clauses (a) to (k) under sub-section (1), which operate
      against two kinds of persons – (i) who proposes to become a
                                                                                H
718             SUPREME COURT REPORTS                          [2018] 11 S.C.R.


A           member of a Panchayat, and (ii) who has become a member of a
            Panchayat. If a person has incurred any one or more
            disqualifications, then he is prohibited from becoming a member
            of a Panchayat, and if becomes a member of a Panchayat, then
            his is not entitled to continue as such. The disqualification under
            Section 14 is in respect of the acts, events, deeds, misdeeds,
B
            transactions, etc, which have not been done, happened or occurred
            before entering into the office as a member of a Panchayat as
            well as those which take place during continuance as a member
            of a Panchayat.”
            And again:-
C
            “13. The very object of introducing the provision of disqualification
            under Section 14 (1) (j-3) of the said Act is to avoid the conflict of
            interest by prohibiting the persons, who are the encroachers upon
            the Government land or public property to get elected or continued
            as a member of the Panchayat, which is democratically elected
D           body of the villagers. It is beyond comprehension to assume that
            a person under statutory obligation or a duty to protect the
            Government land or public property from encroachment, commits
            an act of such encroachment. To permit person, who proposes to
            become a member or becomes a member of the Panchayat to be
E           the encroacher upon the Government land to public property, would
            be anathematic, acting in breach of statutory duty, exposing himself
            to prosecution under sub-sections (1) and (4) of Section 53,
            resulting ultimately in losing the protection under Section 180 read
            with Section 184 of the said Act. It is in this context that the text
            of disqualification under Section 14(1)(j-3) of the said Act is
F           required to be analyzed and interpreted.”
             In the case of Devidas Surwade (supra), it has been clearly stated,
      as noticed earlier, that the term ‘person’ has to include the legal heirs, if
      any, of the encroacher who continue to occupy the government land.
      Emphasis has been laid on encroachment and continued encroachment.
G     After the said Division Bench judgment, number of learned Single Judges
      have adopted a different approach without noticing the judgment which
      is against judicial discipline.
             29. We may note here with profit that the word ‘person’ as used
      in Section 14 (1) (j-3) is not to be so narrowly construed as a consequence
H
  JANABAI v. ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS                                  719
                  [DIPAK MISRA, CJI]

of which the basic issue of “encroachment” in the context of                     A
disqualification becomes absolutely redundant. The legislative intendment,
as we perceive, is that encroachment or unauthorized occupation has to
viewed very strictly and Section 53, therefore, provides for imposition of
daily fine. It is also to be borne in mind that it is the Panchayat that has
been conferred with the power to remove the encroachment. It is the
                                                                                 B
statutory obligation on the part of the Panchayat to protect the interest
of the properties belonging to it. If a member remains in occupation of
an encroached property, he/she has a conflict of interest. If an
interpretation is placed that it is the first encroacher or the encroachment
made by the person alone who would suffer a disqualification, it would
lead to an absurdity. The concept of purposive interpretation would impel        C
us to hold that when a person shares an encroached property by residing
there and there is continuance, he/she has to be treated as disqualified.
Such an interpretation subserves the real warrant of the provision. Thus
analysed, we are of the view that the decision in Sagar Pandurang
Dhundare (supra) does not lay down the correct position of law and it
                                                                                 D
is, accordingly, overruled.
       30. In view of the aforesaid analysis, we do not find any substance
in the appeal and the same stands dismissed accordingly. There shall be
no order as to costs.
                                                                                 E
Kalpana K. Tripathy                                          Appeal dismissed.




                                                                                 F




                                                                                 G




                                                                                 H