Bombay High Court

MADHURI VISHAL DESHMUKHversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARY THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYAT RAJ

Disposal: DISPOSED OFF

Holding

The petition is dismissed as infructuous and the order appointing the Administrator stands.

Summary

The petitioner, Madhuri Vishal Deshmukh, challenged an order dated 10.08.2026 directing the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, to appoint respondent No.8 as Administrator of respondent No.7/Grampanchayat. The State, through its AGP, produced a circular dated 08.09.2026 indicating the Government's policy to appoint Government Officers as Administrators of Grampanchayats. The petition raised the question of the legality and propriety of such appointments under the applicable statutes governing local self‑government. The Court examined the petition and the circular and found that the petition no longer raised any substantive issue, rendering it infructuous. Consequently, the Court disposed of the writ petition as infructuous, effectively dismissing the challenge.

Issues considered

What is the legal validity of appointing a Government Officer as Administrator of a Grampanchayat under the Government's circular?

Subjects

Administrative Law
Local Self‑Government
Grampanchayat
Appointment of Administrator
Writ Petition
Circular

Judgment

2026:BHC-AUG:43352-DB
1 46.doc

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
46 WRIT PETITION NO. 12205 OF 2026

MADHURI VISHAL DESHMUKH
VERSUS
THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARY THE MINISTRY OF
RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND PANCHAYAT RAJ
...

Advocate for the Petitioner : Mr. Madhav Moreshwar Bhokarikar
AGP for Respondent/State : Mr. S.R. Wakale
…
CORAM : NITIN B. SURYAWANSHI AND
ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.
DATE : 21.09.2026

PER COURT :
. By order dated 10.08.2026, the Chief Executive Officer, Zilla
Parishad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar was directed to appoint
respondent No.8 as Administrator of respondent No.7/Grampanchayat.
The same is challenged by the petitioner.

2. Learned AGP has placed on record, a copy of the Circular dated
08.09.2026, by which the Government has decided to appoint
Government Officers as Administrators of the Grampanchayats.

3. Accordingly, the respondents shall pass an appropriate order in
the present case based on the said Circular .

4. Writ Petition is, therefore, disposed of as infructuous.

( ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J. ) ( NITIN B. SURYAWANSHI, J. )

vsj..

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