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Bombay High Court

EKNATH PANDHARINATH DHAKANE AND OTHERSversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THR ITS SECRETARY AND OTHERS

Disposal
DISPOSED OFF

Holding

The petitions are partly allowed; pension benefits must be recalculated to include the annual increment in the last drawn salary, payable within 90 days, and no interest is awarded for delayed filing.

Summary

A large group of former government employees filed multiple writ petitions in the Bombay High Court, Aurangabad Bench, challenging the calculation of their pension benefits after superannuation. They alleged that the pension department had not incorporated the annual increment of their last drawn salary and had denied them the correct pensionary amount. The Court noted that the matter was already decided in earlier orders (Writ Petition Nos. 5445 of 2026, 3412 of 2026, and 15662 of 2025) which set the principle that pension benefits must be computed on the basis of the actual salary including the last increment, provided the employee had served at least six months in the year preceding superannuation. Relying on those precedents, the Court partially allowed the petitions, directing that the petitioners receive the difference in pensionary benefits, that the recalculated pension include the last increment, and that any arrears be paid within 90 days, without interest due to the delayed filing. The orders thus clarified the entitlement of the petitioners to properly computed pension benefits and the procedural timeline for payment.

Issues considered

  • What is the correct method for calculating pension benefits for superannuated employees, particularly regarding inclusion of the last drawn salary increment?
  • Are petitioners eligible for monetary benefits/differences in pensionary benefits if they have served six months or more in the last year before superannuation?
  • Should arrears of pension be payable with interest when petitions are filed belatedly?

Subjects

  • pension calculation
  • superannuation
  • arrears
  • interest
  • writ petition
  • high court
  • monetary benefits
  • government employees

Judgment

2026:BHC-AUG:43342-DB


                                              {1}                       31-wp-12190-2026

                        IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE OF BOMBAY
                                   BENCH AT AURANGABAD

                              31 WRIT PETITION NO. 12190 OF 2026

                            Bhagwat Vishwanath Deshmukh And Others
                                             VERSUS
                               The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                               ...
              Mr. Swapnil A. Deshmukh, Advocate for the Petitioners
              Ms. Neha Kamble, AGP for State

                              67 WRIT PETITION NO. 12227 OF 2026

                            Vijayakumar Bhimrao Kulkarni And Another
                                             VERSUS
                               The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                               ...
              Mr. Chaitanya Deshpande, Advocate for the Petitioners
              Mr. N.D. Batule, AGP for State

                               WRIT PETITION NO. 12637 OF 2026

                                 Arvind Motiram Rathod And Others
                                              VERSUS
                               The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                                 ...
              Mr. S.B. Bhosale, Advocate for the Petitioners
              Mr. S.K. Tambe, AGP for State

                               WRIT PETITION NO. 12682 OF 2026

                                  Damodhar Pandurang Ghorpade
                                              VERSUS
                                The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                                 ...
              Mr. Vishal Bagal, Advocate for the Petitioners
              Ms. Neha Kamble, AGP for State
              Mr. Vinod Patil, Advocate for Respondents No. 3, 5 to 7
              Mr. Vinod Vibhute, Advocate for Respondent No. 4

                               WRIT PETITION NO. 12683 OF 2026
                               {2}                      31-wp-12190-2026

               Vinayak Uttamrao Bhusawale And Others
                               VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                  ...
Mr. Umesh B. Gite, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. N.D. Batule, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12684 OF 2026

                      Pandit Jagnnath Ambade
                               VERSUS
                The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                  ...
Mr. Umesh B. Gite, Advocate for the Petitioner
Mr. S.K. Tambe, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12686 OF 2026

                       Amruta Govindrao Kadam
                                VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. Prasad Jarare, Advocate for the Petitioner
Mr. B.B. Bhise, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12687 OF 2026

                       Madhukar Sitaram Sargule
                                VERSUS
                  The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                  ...
Mr. Vaibhav Pawar, Advocate for the Petitioner
Mr. A.B. Girase, Government Pleader for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12689 OF 2026

             Bhagwanth Ragholu Nemmaniwar And Others
                               VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                  ...
Mr. Vaibhav Pawar, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. V.M. Kagne, AGP for State
                               {3}                      31-wp-12190-2026

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12691 OF 2026

               Vivek Dashrath Chandanshive And Others
                                VERSUS
                  The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. R.K. Jadhavar, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mrs. Saie Joshi, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12692 OF 2026

                 Janardhan Anandrao Mante And Others
                                VERSUS
                  The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. Vishal Bagal, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. S.R. Wakle, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12693 OF 2026

                Gangadhar Ramrao Kachave And Others
                                VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. Estling Murge, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. S.K. Tambe, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12694 OF 2026

              Balasaheb Nagorao Anantwar And Others
                               VERSUS
                The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                  ...
Mr. Vaibhav Pawar, Advocate for the Petitioners
Ms. Neha Kamble, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12695 OF 2026

                  Vinayak Vitthalrao Wagh And Others
                                VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. Swapnil A. Deshmukh, Advocate for the Petitioners
                                 {4}                    31-wp-12190-2026

Mr. N.D. Batule, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12696 OF 2026

                   Vitthal Vishnu Tambde And Others
                                VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. R.K. Jadhavar, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. S.K. Tambe, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12697 OF 2026

                Ramrao Vitthalrao Jaybhaye And Others
                               VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                  ...
Mr. Vaibhav Pawar, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. B.B. Bhise, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12698 OF 2026

               Eknath Pandharinath Dhakane And Others
                                VERSUS
                 The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. Estling Murge, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. V.M. Kagne, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12699 OF 2026

                    Ramesh Mangu Walke And Others
                                VERSUS
                  The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                   ...
Mr. Estling Murge, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mrs. Saie Joshi, AGP for State

                 WRIT PETITION NO. 12702 OF 2026

                  Liyakat Niyamat Khan And Others
                              VERSUS
                The State Of Maharashtra And Others
                                 {5}                      31-wp-12190-2026

                                    ...
Mr. Vishal Bagal, Advocate for the Petitioners
Mr. S.R. Wakle, AGP for State
                                  .......

                       CORAM : NITIN B. SURYAWANSHI AND
                                 ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.


                          DATE : 21st SEPTEMBER, 2026
PER COURT :

1.    Indisputably, the issue raised in these Petitions is squarely

covered by the orders dated 3rd July, 2026 passed by the Co- ordinate

Bench of this Court at Circuit Bench at Kolhapur in Writ Petition No.

5445 of 2026 and dated 19th June, 2026 passed in Writ Petition No.

3412 of 2026.

2.    Reliance is also placed on the order dated 18 th March, 2026

passed by the Co-ordinate Bench of this Court at Principal Seat in Writ

Petition No. 15662 of 2025.


3.    For the reasons stated in the above mentioned orders, Writ

Petitions are partly allowed with following directions:

      a. The Petitioners would be entitled for monetary benefits /
      difference of pensionary benefits as per the actuals w.e.f.
      their respective dates of superannuation, provided they
      have worked for 6 months or more in the last year up to
      their superannuation.
                                         {6}                      31-wp-12190-2026

           b. The pensionary benefits of the Petitioners would be
           recalculated by including the annual increment in their last
           drawn salary prior to their superannuation and such
           recalculated pensionary benefits shall be payable to them.


           c. Arrears if any, shall be paid to them within a period of
           90      days.   Many   of   the   Petitioners   have   approached
           belatedly before this Court and, therefore, akin to the
           orders passed in several matters, they would not be
           entitled for the interest component.




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




Bhagyawant Punde


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