Election Petition- (1) The election to any office of a Panchayat or a

Gram Katchahry shall not be called in question except by an election petition as prescribed : Provided that if an election to any office of a Gram Panchayat or Gram Katchahry is under dispute, the election petition shall lie before such Munsif within whose jurisdiction such Gram Panchayat or Gram Katchahry is situated and if the election to any office of Panchayat Samiti or to a Zila Parishad is under dispute, the election petition shall lie before such sub-Judge within whose jurisdiction such Panchayat Samiti or Zila

Parishad, as the case may be, is situated.

1. (2) “Parties to the petition—A petitioner shall join as a respondent to his petition—
   • (a) Where the petitioner, in addition to claiming a declaration that the

election of all or any of the returned candidates is void, claims a further declaration that he himself or any other candidates has been duly elected, all the contesting candidates other than the petitioner, and where no such further declaration is claimed, all the returned candidates; and

1. (b) any other candidate against whom allegations of any corrupt practice are made in the petition.