Bombay High Court

LAXMAN NARAYAN LADversusTHE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER SLUM REHABILITATION AUTHORITY (SRA)

Decided: 3 September 2026
Disposal: DISPOSED OFF

Holding

The High Court held that it may direct the respondents to decide the pending rehabilitation claim within six weeks and disposed of the writ petition.

Summary

Mr. Laxman Narayan Lad filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking rehabilitation benefits under the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, alleging that the respondents denied his claim without an independent survey. The petitioner had earlier filed a Form‑3 application on 20 March 2024 requesting such verification, which remained pending. The court examined whether it could compel the respondents to decide the pending claim and grant relief in the absence of a completed survey. It held that the court could direct the respondents to decide the petitioner's claim within six weeks of the order. Accordingly, the court ordered the respondents to adjudicate the claim within the stipulated period and disposed of both the writ petition and the accompanying interim application.

Issues considered

Whether the petitioner is entitled to rehabilitation benefits under the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971 without a prior independent verification of his claim.
Whether the High Court can direct the respondents to decide the pending claim within a specific time frame.
Whether the petitioner's grievance can be entertained despite the existence of an alternate efficacious statutory remedy.

Legislation cited

Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971

Subjects

rehabilitation
slum redevelopment
independent verification
writ petition
High Court of Bombay
Maharashtra Slums Act

Judgment

                                           904-WP-4161-2026 WITH IA(L)-24942-2026.doc


            IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION

              WRIT PETITION NO. 4161 OF 2026
                          WITH
         INTERIM APPLICATION (L) NO. 24942 OF 2026
                           IN
              WRIT PETITION NO. 4161 OF 2026
Mr. Laxman Narayan Lad                      .....Petitioner
            Versus
The Chief Executive Officer and Ors.                          .....Respondents
                                   .....
Ms. Renuka Sarswat a/w Mr. Amitabh Azad, Mr. Rajesh Kalote, Mr.
Shashikant Patil and P. Sakthivel i/b Amitri Lex, for the Petitioner.

Mr. Jagdish G. Aradwad (Reddy), for the Respondent Nos.1 and 2-
SRA.

Mr. Ajit Hon a/w Mr. Atharva Deshmukh i/b PNP & Associates, for
the Respondent No.6.
                              ..…
                          CORAM : M. S. KARNIK &
                                  SANDESH D. PATIL, JJ.
                                    DATE   : 3rd SEPTEMBER 2026
P.C.:-

1.        The Petitioner has alternate efficacious remedy where the

Petitioner’s grievance needs to be agitated. The Petitioner has directly

approached this Court.


2.        It is the submission of learned Counsel for the Petitioner that

even without conducting a proper and independent survey,



Manisha                                                                         1/3
              Digitally signed by
MANISHA       MANISHA
              BALKRISHNA
BALKRISHNA    TALEKAR
TALEKAR       Date: 2026.09.08
              11:14:07 +0530
                                          904-WP-4161-2026 WITH IA(L)-24942-2026.doc


verification of Petitioner’s claims of individual hutment and

rehabilitation benefits in accordance with the Maharashtra Slum

Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, the

Petitioner is being denied the rehabilitation. It is the submission of

learned Counsel for the Petitioner that the Petitioner is suffering as a

result of inaction on the part of the Respondents.


3.        The Petitioner has filed an application dated 20 th March, 2024

in Form 3 for conducting an independent verification of the

Petitioner’s claim of individual hutment and rehabilitation benefits

in accordance with the Slums Act and which is pending.


4.        The only relief that we can grant at this stage in the facts and

circumstances of the present case is direction to Respondent Nos.1

and 2 to decide the pending claim of the Petitioner as mentioned in

prayer Clause (a) of the Petition expeditiously and in any case within

a period of six weeks from the date of production of this Order. In

case the Petitioner aggrieved, it is always open for the Petitioner to

take recourse to appropriate statutory remedies challenging such

Order or any other relief. The decision be communicated to the

Petitioner.


Manisha                                                                        2/3
                                        904-WP-4161-2026 WITH IA(L)-24942-2026.doc


5.        Keeping all contentions of the parties open, Writ Petition

No.4161 of 2026 stands disposed of.


6.        In view of disposal of Writ Petition, Interim Application (L)

No.24942 of 2026 also stands disposed of.




(SANDESH D. PATIL, J.)                               (M. S. KARNIK, J.)




Manisha                                                                      3/3

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