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The Himachal Pradesh High Court has quashed a state government notification that shifted Village Manlog-Badog in Solan district from Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog to Gram Panchayat Darlaghat, holding that objections raised by residents were not properly considered before the decision was taken.
A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Ranjan Sharma passed the order while allowing a petition filed by the Nehru Yuva Club of Village Manlog-Badog and the Mahila Mandal of the village. The petitioners had challenged the January 27, 2026, notification issued by the state government that included Manlog-Badog in the Gram Panchayat Darlaghat after excluding it from the Gram Panchayat Hanuman Badog. According to the petitioners, the government had earlier issued a notification on December 18, 2025, proposing the reorganisation or merger of panchayats and invited objections and suggestions from residents. The Deputy Commissioner of Solan had been authorised to receive public objections and submit recommendations after considering them. Residents of Manlog-Badog had submitted objections on December 31, 2025, opposing the proposed change. They argued that the village shares close social and economic ties with Hanuman Badog and that the day-to-day interactions and activities of villagers are closely linked with that panchayat. They also pointed out that even residents of Gram Panchayat Darlaghat had opposed the inclusion of Manlog-Badog in their panchayat. However, despite the objections, the state government issued the notification on January 27, 2026, prompting the petitioners to approach the High Court. After hearing the matter, the High Court observed that the objections submitted by residents were not properly considered before issuing the notification. The court accordingly set aside the impugned notification and directed the authorities to reconsider the matter after properly examining the objections and suggestions submitted by the residents in accordance with the law. (ANI)
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