In Brief
The Supreme Court upheld a High Court decision striking down the rejection of a no-confidence motion against a village Sarpanch (chief). The core issue was whether a Panchayat member, Sudhir Vilas Kalel, remained a valid member after failing to produce a Validity Certificate for his caste status within the legally required 12-month period. The Court held that Appellant No. 1 was automatically disqualified for non-production of the certificate and could not benefit from protective provisions of the 2023 Temporary Extension Act because his application had been rejected for non-compliance. With his membership invalid, the no-confidence motion achieved the required three-fourths majority, making it valid.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.