Bombay High Court
LOKITA VITTHAL PUPPALWARversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANOTHER
- Disposal
- DISPOSED OFF
Holding
The Court directed the Scrutiny Committee to decide the petitioners' tribe claims within two months of the filing of their replies.
Summary
The petitioners filed multiple writ petitions seeking speedy disposal of their pending tribe claims before the Scrutiny Committee, which had been pending since 28 March 2025. They submitted that a Vigilance Cell enquiry had been completed and the report was already with the Committee, with a deadline to file replies on 16 March 2026, which they pledged to meet. The Court, after hearing counsel, directed the Scrutiny Committee to decide the tribe claims within two months of the filing of the petitioners' replies and the advancement of arguments. No substantive merits of the claims were addressed; the order was purely procedural to curb delay. Consequently, the writ petitions were disposed of with the said direction.
Issues considered
- Whether the High Court can direct the Scrutiny Committee to decide pending tribe claims expeditiously under the applicable tribal welfare provisions
Subjects
- tribe claims
- Scrutiny Committee
- Vigilance Cell enquiry
- expeditious disposal
- writ petition
- High Court of Bombay
- Maharashtra
Judgment
2026:BHC-AUG:6827-DB
941 to 945
-1-
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
941 WRIT PETITION NO. 1699 OF 2026
Sanjana Rajesh Pupalwar
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Secretary And Another
AND
942 WRIT PETITION NO. 1700 OF 2026
Pranav Vitthalrao Puppalwar
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Secretary And Another
…
AND
943 WRIT PETITION NO. 1701 OF 2026
Rajan Sayareddy Puppalwar
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Secretary And Another
...
AND
945 WRIT PETITION NO. 1707 OF 2026
Lokita Vitthal Puppalwar
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Secretary And Another
...
Mr. Apparao P. Yenegure, Advocate for the Petitioner
Ms. Chaitali R. Chaudhari-Kutti, Mr. Madhukar A. Aher, Ms. B. B.
Gunjal, Mr. P. K. Lakhotiya, AGPs for Respondents/State
...
CORAM : SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE AND
ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, JJ.
DATED : 12TH FEBRUARY 2026
PER COURT (Per Abasaheb D. Shinde J.):-
1. Heard.
Narwade
941 to 945
-2-
2. In all these writ petitions, the petitioners are seeking
expeditious disposal of their tribe claims which are pending before
Respondent No.2- Scrutiny Committee since 28.03.2025.
3. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submit that the Vigilance
Cell Enquiry has been conducted and the Vigilance Cell Enquiry
Report has already been submitted to Respondent No.2-Scrutiny
Committee in all the cases. He submits that the next date for filing
replies to these Vigilance Cell Enquriy Reports is on 16.03.2026. He
submits that the petitioners undertake to file replies to the said
Vigilance Cell Enquiry Reports on the same day.
4. In that view of the matter, we direct Respondent No.2-Scrutiny
Committee to decide the tribe claims of the petitioners within a
period of two months from the date on which the replies would be
filed by the petitioners and advancement of arguments in the said
proceedings.
5. With this direction Writ Petitions stand disposed of.
[ABASAHEB D. SHINDE, J.] [SANDIPKUMAR C. MORE, J.]
Narwade
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