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REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) NO. 215 OF 2012

Sundargarh Zilla Adivasi Advocates  …..Petitioners

Association and Others

Versus

State Government of Odisha and Ors.       …..Respondents

J U D G M E N T  

Madan B. Lokur, J.

1. The  primary  question  for  consideration  in  this  writ  

petition under Article 32 of the Constitution is whether  

the  provisions  of  the  Orissa  Municipal  Act,  1950  are  

applicable to Sundargarh district in Odisha.  

2. It is not in dispute that Sundargarh district is a declared  

‘Scheduled  Area’  in  terms  of  Clause  6(1)  of  the  Fifth  

Schedule  to  the  Constitution.  This  Clause  reads  as  

follows:

“6. Scheduled Areas.—(1) In this Constitution,  the  expression  “Scheduled  Areas”  means  such  areas as the President may by order declare to  be Scheduled Areas.”

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3. The administration and control  of  a Scheduled Area is  

provided  for  in  Article  244  of  the  Constitution  which  

reads as under:-

“244.  Administration  of  Scheduled  Areas  and  Tribal  Areas  :  (1)  The  provisions  of  the  Fifth Schedule shall  apply to the administration  and control of the Scheduled Areas and Sched- uled Tribes in any State other than the States of  Assam Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

(2) The provisions of the Sixth Schedule shall ap- ply to the administration of the tribal areas in the  State  of  Assam,  Meghalaya,  Tripura  and  Mizo- ram.”  

4. What follows from this is that an area may be declared  

by the President as a Scheduled Area (as has happened  

in the case of Sundargarh) and the administration and  

control  of  that  area  is  then  governed  by  the  Fifth  

Schedule to the Constitution.  

5. Scheduled Areas are also referred to in Part IX-A of the  

Constitution.  This  Part  came  into  effect  from  1st June  

1993  through  the  Constitution  (Seventy-fourth  

Amendment) Act, 1992. This Part concerns itself with the  

establishment,  constitution,  powers  and  functions  of  

municipalities as institutions of self government. For the  

present purposes, we are concerned with Article 243-ZC  

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and Article 243-ZF in Part IX-A. These provisions read as  

follows:

“243ZC.  Part  not  to  apply  to  certain  ar- eas.—(1)  Nothing  in  this  Part  shall  apply  to  the Scheduled Areas referred to in clause (1),  and the tribal areas referred to in clause (2),  of article 244.

(2) Nothing in this Part shall be construed to  affect  the  functions  and  powers  of  the  Dar- jeeling  Gorkha Hill  Council  constituted  under  any law for the time being in force for the hill  areas of the district of Darjeeling in the State  of West Bengal.

(3)  Notwithstanding anything in  this  Consti- tution,  Parliament  may,  by  law,  extend  the  provisions of this Part to the Scheduled Areas  and the tribal  areas referred to in  clause (1)  subject  to  such exceptions and modifications  as may be specified in such law, and no such  law shall  be deemed to be an amendment of  this  Constitution  for  the  purposes  of  article  368.”

“243ZF. Continuance of existing laws and  Municipalities.—Notwithstanding  anything  in this Part, any provision of any law relating  to  Municipalities  in  force  in  a  State  immedi- ately  before  the  commencement  of  the  Con- stitution  (Seventy-fourth  Amendment)  Act,  1992,  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  provi- sions of this Part, shall continue to be in force  until  amended  or  repealed  by  a  competent  Legislature  or  other  competent  authority  or  until  the  expiration  of  one  year  from  such  commencement, whichever is earlier:

Provided that all  the Municipalities existing  immediately  before  such  commencement  

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shall continue till the expiration of their dura- tion,  unless  sooner  dissolved by  a  resolution  passed  to  that  effect  by  the  Legislative  As- sembly of that State or, in the case of a State  having  a  Legislative  Council,  by  each  House  of the Legislature of that State.”

6. A break-down of the provisions of Article 243-ZC of the  

Constitution makes it clear that: (a) Part IX-A does not  

ipso facto  apply  to  Scheduled  Areas  [Article 243-

ZC(1)]; (b) Parliament may, by law, extend the provisions  

of Part IX-A to a Scheduled Area subject to exceptions  

and modifications [Article 243-ZC(3)]. Factually, Part IX-A  

has  not  been  extended  to  the  Scheduled  Area  of  

Sundargarh. In other words, Part IX-A of the Constitution  

(with or without exceptions and modifications) does not  

apply to the Scheduled Area of Sundargarh.

7. Similarly, a break-down of the provisions of Article 243-

ZF  of  the  Constitution  makes  it  clear  that:  (a)  The  

existing law relating to municipalities will remain in force  

even if it is inconsistent with the provisions of Part IX-A  

of  the  Constitution  [first  part  of  Article  243-ZF];  (b)  

However, the inconsistent provisions of the existing law  

will remain in force only for a period of one year, unless  

amended or repealed earlier [second part of Article 243- Writ Petition (Civil) No.215 of 2012 Page 4 of 15

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ZF].  Clearly,  the purpose of continuing an existing law  

(even though it may be inconsistent with Part IX-A) was  

to  enable  necessary  amendments  to  be  made  to  the  

existing law to make it in consonance with Part IX-A.  

8. At this distant point of time, we are not concerned with  

the proviso to Article 243-ZF of the Constitution.   

9. If  Part  IX-A  of  the  Constitution  does  not  apply  to  a  

Scheduled  Area,  how  is  the  Scheduled  Area  of  

Sundargarh to be administered?  For this, one as to fall  

back  on  the  Fifth  Schedule  to  the  Constitution  which  

specifically relates to the administration and control of  

Scheduled Areas. Clause 5(1) thereof is of relevance so  

far  as  the  present  case  is  concerned.   This  reads  as  

follows:-

“5. Law applicable to Scheduled Areas.— (1)  Notwithstanding  anything  in  this  Consti- tution,  the Governor may by public  notifica- tion  direct  that  any  particular  Act  of  Parlia- ment or of the Legislature of the State shall  not  apply  to  a  Scheduled  Area  or  any  part  thereof  in  the  State  or  shall  apply  to  a  Scheduled  Area  or  any  part  thereof  in  the  State subject to such exceptions and modifi - cations as he may specify in the notification  and any direction given under this sub-para- graph may be given so as to have retrospec- tive effect. (2) xxx xxx xxx [dealing with regulations].”  

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10. Clause 5 empowers the Governor  of  the State,  

inter alia, to issue a public notification to the effect that:  

(a) Any particular statute (enacted either by Parliament  

or  by  the  State  Legislature)  shall  not  apply  to  a  

Scheduled  Area;  (b)  Any  particular  statute  (enacted  

either  by Parliament or  by the State Legislature)  shall  

apply to a Scheduled Area, subject to specific exceptions  

and modifications.

11. In so far as the State of Odisha is concerned, an  

amendment was carried out in the Orissa Municipal Act  

by inserting sub-section (6) in Section 1 thereof to the  

following effect:

“(6) Nothing in this Act shall apply to the scheduled  areas referred to in Clause (1) of Article 244 of the  Constitution.”

The aforesaid amendment was carried out through Orissa  

Act No.11 of 1994 with effect from 31st May 1994.  

12. The effect of the above amendment was that the  

Orissa  Municipal  Act  was  no  longer  applicable  to  

Sundargarh, a Scheduled Area, with effect from 31st May  

1994. In a sense, therefore, there was a vacuum in the  

administration  and  control  of  the  Scheduled  Area  of  

Sundargarh from 1st June 1994 since neither Part IX-A of  Writ Petition (Civil) No.215 of 2012 Page 6 of 15

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the  Constitution  nor  the  Orissa  Municipal  Act  were  

applicable to the Scheduled Areas in Odisha.

13. Realizing the  existence  of  a  vacuum,  the  

Governor  of  Odisha  issued  Notification  No.  SRO  

No.743/95 dated 14th August 1995 with effect from 31st  

May 1994.  This was in exercise of powers conferred on  

him  by  Clause  5(1)  of  the  Fifth  Schedule  to  the  

Constitution. By virtue of this Notification, sub-section (6)  

in Section 1 of the Orissa Municipal Act was repealed and  

the said Act was extended to the Scheduled Areas of the  

State.  

14. Unfortunately,  this  Notification  has  not  been  

placed  on  record  by  either  of  the  parties,  though  a  

reference to  this  is  made by the Union of  India  in  its  

counter  affidavit.  Therefore,  it  is  appropriate  to  

reproduce the Notification. It reads as follows:

“Housing & Urban Development Department Notification  

The 14th August 1995

S.R.O. No. 743/95- Whereas the Orissa Municipal  Act,  1950  has  been  amended  by  Orissa  Municipal  (Amendment)  Act,  1994  for  strengthening  the  Municipalities  and for  giving effective  and adequate  representation  to  the  Scheduled  Castes,  Scheduled  Tribes, Backward Class of citizens and Women;

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And,  whereas,  the  constitution  of  the  Municipalities  prior  to  the  commencement  of  the  Orissa Municipal (Amendment) Act, 1994 has not been  made in accordance with the amended provisions with  regard to  the  composition,  reservation of  seats  and  reservation of  offices  of  the  Chairpersons  and Vice- Chairpersons  of  Municipalities  for  the  Scheduled  Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Class of citizens  and Women;  

And, whereas, for the purpose of strengthening  the Municipalities and giving effective and adequate  representation  to  the  Scheduled  Castes,  Scheduled  Tribes, Backward class of citizens and Women in the  Scheduled  Areas  of  the  State,  it  is  considered  expedient  to  apply  the  provisions  of  the  Orissa  Municipal  Act,  1950  as  amended  by  the  Orissa  Municipal  (Amendment)  Act,  1994 to  the  Scheduled  Areas of the State of Orissa;  

Now,  therefore,  in  exercise  of  the  powers  conferred by sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 5 of the  Fifth  Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India  and  in  supersession  of  the  notification  of  the  Governor  bearing No. 16222—Legis-H.U.D., dated the 28th May  1994 issued under the Housing & Urban Development  Department  of  the  Government  of  Orissa  and  published as S.R.O. No. 521/94, the Governor of Orissa  hereby  directs  that  the  provisions  of  the  Orissa  Municipal Act, 1950 (Orissa Act 23 of 1950) shall be  deemed to have been applied to the Scheduled Areas  of the State with effect from the 31st day of May 1994  subject  to  the  following exception and modification,  namely :-

(1) Sub-section  (6)  of  Section  1  of  the  Orissa  Municipal Act, 1950 shall be omitted; and

(2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in  the Orissa Municipal Act, 1950, the term of office  of  every Councilor,  Vice-Chairperson and Chair- person  of  the  Municipal  Councils  and  Notified  Area Councils existing in the Scheduled Areas of  

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the  State  immediately  before  the  commence- ment of the Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amend- ment) Act, 1992 shall be deemed to have come  to an end with effect from the 2nd day of August  1995, and –

(a)  during  the  period  beginning  with  the  2nd  day of  August  1995 till  the  reconstitution  of  said Councils, the powers and duties of every  such Council and Chairperson and Vice-Chair- person  thereof  shall  be  exercised  and  per- formed by such authority and in such manner  as the State Government may, by notification,  direct; and   

(b)  any action taken or thing done by the State  Government  under  the  Orissa  Municipal  Act,  1950, so applied to the Scheduled Areas of the  State,  shall  be deemed to have been validly  taken or done.  

[No. 27397—Elec.-37/95-H.U.D.]

G. RAMANUJAM Governor of  Orissa”

15. In this  constitutional  and statutory background,  

the  contention  urged  by  learned  counsel  for  the  

petitioners is that on the coming into force of Part IX-A of  

the  Constitution,  the  existing  municipalities  in  

Sundargarh  district,  that  is,  Sundargarh,  Rourkela,  

Rajgangpur and Birmitrapur could not continue beyond a  

period of one year as provided in Article 243-ZF of the  

Constitution  and  therefore,  their  existence  beyond  1st  Writ Petition (Civil) No.215 of 2012 Page 9 of 15

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June 1994 was unconstitutional. The basic postulate of  

this  contention  is  that  the  provisions  of  the  Orissa  

Municipal  Act  are  inconsistent  with  Part  IX-A  of  the  

Constitution.  

16. The further submission is that Parliament has not  

extended the provisions of Part IX-A of the Constitution  

to  the  Scheduled  Area  of  Sundargarh  nor  has  the  

Governor extended the provisions of the Orissa Municipal  

Act to Sundargarh district in exercise of power conferred  

by Clause 5 of  the Fifth  Schedule to  the Constitution.  

Therefore  the  provisions  of  the  said  Act  are  not  

applicable to Sundargarh district with the result that the  

continuance of the municipalities beyond 1st June 1994 is  

illegal.

17. We are unable to accept both contentions urged  

by  the  petitioners  since  they  proceed  on  a  

misunderstanding of facts and the relevant provisions of  

the Constitution.  We may also note that Notification No.  

SRO No.  743/95 dated 14th August,  1995 is  not  under  

challenge.

18. Clause  1  of  Article  243-ZC  provides  that  the  

provisions of Part IX-A of the Constitution do not apply to  Writ Petition (Civil) No.215 of 2012 Page 10 of 15

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Scheduled Areas such as Sundargarh. Clause 3 of Article  

243-ZC provides that Parliament may, by law, extend the  

provisions of Part IX-A of the Constitution to Scheduled  

Areas  such  as  Sundargarh  subject  to  exceptions  and  

modifications.  It  is  nobody’s  case that  such a law has  

been enacted by Parliament.  The only consequence of  

this is that Part IX-A of the Constitution which deals with  

the municipalities as institutions of self government does  

not apply to Sundargarh.

19. This may be contrasted with the Provisions of the  

Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996  

which  specifically  extends  Part  IX  of  the  Constitution  

relating  to  panchayats  introduced  by  the  Constitution  

(Seventy-third  Amendment)  Act,  1992  to  Scheduled  

Areas. There is no corresponding statute relating to the  

extension  of  Part  IX-A  of  the  Constitution  relating  to  

municipalities to Scheduled Areas.

20. Therefore,  in  the absence of  the application of  

Part  IX-A of  the Constitution to the Scheduled Area of  

Sundargarh, what does apply is the Orissa Municipal Act,  

1950.  This  Act  has  been  made  applicable  with  effect  

from  31st May  1994  by  the  issuance  of  a  public  Writ Petition (Civil) No.215 of 2012 Page 11 of 15

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notification  being  SRO No.743/1995  dated  14th August  

1995. The petitioners seem to be oblivious of this fact  

which  has  been  stated  by  the  Union  of  India  in  its  

counter affidavit filed to the writ petition. It has further  

been stated by the Union of India in its affidavit that the  

provisions  of  Section  12  of  the  Orissa  Municipal  Act  

(relating  to  the  general  election  of  councillors  and  

formation  of  wards)  have  also  been  extended  to  the  

Scheduled  Areas  by  a  Notification  being  SRO  

No.1264/1995  dated  16th November  1995  with  effect  

from 14th November  1995.  These facts  relating to  the  

issuance of the two notifications have not been denied  

by  the  petitioners  by  filing  any  rejoinder  affidavit.  

Therefore, the entire basis on which the petitioners have  

built up their case is factually lacking.  

21. Apart from the  above,  learned  counsel  for  the  

petitioners has not shown us any provision of the Orissa  

Municipal Act which is inconsistent with the provisions of  

Part IX-A of the Constitution. Article 243-ZF provides that  

any law relating to municipalities shall continue to apply  

even to a Scheduled Area for one year,  except to the  

extent of inconsistency with the provisions of Part IX-A of  Writ Petition (Civil) No.215 of 2012 Page 12 of 15

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the Constitution. Even beyond a period of one year a law  

relating  to  municipalities  may  be  applicable  to  a  

Scheduled Area, if the law is so extended, provided it is  

not inconsistent with the provisions of Part IX-A. It is in  

this  context  that  learned  counsel  for  the  petitioners  

could not point out any provision in the Orissa Municipal  

Act which is inconsistent with Part IX-A.   The  

contentions  of  learned  counsel  for  the  petitioners  are  

presently without any foundational basis, but we leave  

open this question and express no opinion in this regard  

since  Part  IX-A  has  not  been  made  applicable  to  the  

Scheduled Area of Sundargarh.

22. The interpretation of Article 243-ZC and Article  

243-ZF of the Constitution has come up for consideration  

in  some High  Courts  from time to  time but  the  issue  

raised before us, which is entirely factual in nature, has  

not come up for consideration earlier. It is, therefore, not  

necessary to advert to those decisions.

23. Reference  may,  however,  be  made  to  Bondu  

Ramaswamy v. Bangalore Development Authority,   

(2010) 7 SCC 129 which explains the purpose behind  

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the introduction of Part IX-A in the Constitution. This is  

what was said:  

“The  Constitution  (Seventy-fourth  Amend- ment) Act, 1992 inserting Part IX-A in the Consti- tution, seeks to strengthen the system of munici- palities  in  urban  areas,  by  placing  these  local  self-governments on sound and effective footing  and provide measures for regular and fair  con- duct of elections. Even before the insertion of the  said Part IX-A, municipalities existed all over the  country  but  there  were  no  uniform  or  strong  foundations for  these local  self-governments  to  function effectively.

“Provisions  relating  to  composition  of  mu- nicipalities, constitution and composition of Ward  Committees, reservation of seats for weaker sec- tions, duration of municipalities, powers, author- ity, responsibilities of municipalities, power to im- pose  taxes,  proper  superintendence  and  cen- tralised  control  of  elections  to  municipalities,  constitution  of  committees  for  district  planning  and metropolitan planning, were either not in ex- istence or were found to be inadequate or defec- tive in the State laws relating to municipalities.

“Part  IX-A  seeks  to  strengthen  the  demo- cratic political governance at grass root level in  urban areas by providing constitutional status to  municipalities, and by laying down minimum uni- form norms and by ensuring regular and fair con- duct of elections.”  

This objective has been achieved by the Orissa Municipal  Act and the amendments made thereto, as extended to the  Scheduled Areas. 24. In view of the factual position before us, we see  

no merit in this writ petition. It is accordingly dismissed.  No costs.

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       ….…….……………………. J. (R.M. Lodha)

….…….……………………. J. (J. Chelameswar)

….…….……………………. J. (Madan B. Lokur)

New Delhi; May 7, 2013

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