Bombay High Court
SUBHASH TUKARAM PATIL AND ORSversusSTATE OF MAHARASHTRA THR THE GOVERNMENT PLEADER AND ORS
- Decided
- Disposal
- Disposed Off
Holding
The Court directed the Deputy Registrar to decide the pending complaints within eight weeks and disposed of the writ petition.
Summary
Petitioners Subhash Tukaram Patil & Ors. filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the Deputy Registrar, Co‑operative Societies, Thane (West) to decide their repeated applications filed as complaints under Sections 154B‑8 read with 154B‑23(1) and Section 27(1) of the Maharashtra Co‑operative Societies Act, 1960. The Court examined whether such a prayer was innocuous and whether it could issue a time‑bound directive to a statutory authority. Noting that the prayer was harmless and that the respondent’s counsel indicated the matter was already scheduled before the authority, the Court deemed it appropriate to intervene. It directed Respondent No. 6 (the Deputy Registrar) to decide the pending complaints as expeditiously as possible, but no later than eight weeks from the date of the order. The writ petition was thereafter disposed of.
Issues considered
- Whether a High Court may issue a direction to a statutory authority to decide pending applications within a specified time frame
- Whether the prayer for such a direction is innocuous and can be entertained
Legislation cited
- Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 — s. 154B-23(1), 154B-8, 27(1)
Subjects
- Writ petition
- Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act
- Statutory authority
- Time‑bound direction
- Civil appellate jurisdiction
- Co‑operative societies
Judgment
Digitally
signed by
RUSHIKESH
RUSHIKESH VISHNU
VISHNU PATIL
PATIL Date:
2026.08.25
11:21:45
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
WRIT PETITION NO. 1835 OF 2026
Subhash Tukaram Patil & Ors. .. Petitioners
Versus
The State of Maharashtra & Ors. .. Respondents
…
Mr. V. M. Parkar, for the Petitioners.
Mr. Karan S. Thorat, ‘B’ Panel Counsel a/w Mr. S. H. Kankal,
AGP, for Respondent Nos. 1 to 6.
Mr. Jayesh Joshi, for Respondent No. 7.
...
CORAM: BHARATI DANGRE &
ASHISH S. CHAVAN, JJ.
DATED : 18th AUGUST, 2026
P.C:-
1. The limited relief in the Writ Petition is a direction to the
Deputy Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Thane (West), to
decide the repeated applications preferred by him in the form
of complaints by invoking the provisions of Section 154B-8 r/w
Section 154B-23(1), alongwith Section 27(1) of the
Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960.
Since we find the prayer to be innocuous, and though the
learned counsel representing Respondent No. 7, on
instructions, make a statement that the matter is scheduled
before the said Authority shortly, without verifying the
truthfulness of the statement, we deem it appropriate to direct
Rushikesh
2/2 13 WP.1835.2026.odt
Respondent No. 6 to take a decision on the
complaints/applications preferred by the Petitioners as
expeditiously as possible, and in no case later than eight weeks
from today.
The Writ Petition is disposed of.
(ASHISH S. CHAVAN J.) (BHARATI DANGRE, J.)
Rushikesh
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