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Judgment
Krishnan, J.—Respondents have not appeared before me in person or by counsel and I have not the advantage of hearing an argument on
their side.
The judgment of the lower Court treating the rules framed by the Governor-in-Council and published as notification No. 1134 as ultra vires so
far as they relate to the election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of District Municipalities on the ground that they purported to have been made
u/s 303(2)(b) of the Act clearly cannot be supported. Before a rule framed by a rule making authority is declared ultra vires the Court must be
satisfied not only that it had no power to act under the power under which it purported to act, but also that it had no power at all under any law to
so act. If power can be found elsewhere from the section quoted the rules will be referred to that power and held not to be ultra vires. This
principle is recognised in Rajam Chetty v. Seshayya ILR 18 M. 236 (F.B.) where the Full Beach of this Court in considering whether a rule framed
for the guidance of the Presidency Small Cause Court by this Court was ultra vires or not did not confine themselves to section which was cited in
the rule as authorising it but went beyond to consider whether there was any power under any other provision that would justify it and it was only
after holding that there was no such power that they declared the rule ultra vires. A similar view was taken in Queen Empress v. Ganga Ram ILR
16 All. 136. In the present acse as the District Judge himself remarks there was ample power to frame the rules objected to u/s 303(2)(c) and it is
only an obvious mistake that Clause (c) was not also added. Such an omission does not affect the validity of the rule. See also Halsbury, Vol. 27
p. 146.
As to the jurisdiction of the District Judge to hear election petitions, the District Judge is right in holding that he has jurisdiction as the rules
expressly give it to him.
The order of the lower Court is set aside and that Court is directed to take the petition on to its file and dispose it oft according to law.
There will be no costs for this petition.