Bombay High Court
VIKAS ANNASAHEB NAKADEversusTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND OTHERS
- Disposal
- DISPOSED OFF
Holding
The Court held that the petitioner had no right to regular appointment and dismissed the writ petition.
Summary
The petitioner, Vikas Annsaheb Nakade, claimed he was appointed as a junior clerk in a private school on 4 August 2021, completed his probation, and was thereafter entitled to regularisation and a proposal for approval under the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools Rules. He challenged a fresh advertisement for the same post dated 20 August 2026, arguing it was illegal for not providing a 15‑day application period and that his services should be regularised. The respondents contended that his appointment was expressly temporary, limited to a modest honorarium, and that no due process under Rule 9 was followed, thus no right to regularisation existed. The Court examined the appointment clauses, the lack of a statutory advertisement, and the petitioner’s failure to apply to the new advertisement, concluding that he was not an aggrieved party for the purpose of a writ. It held that Section 5(2A) of the Rules applies only when the statutory appointment procedure is satisfied, which was not the case here. Consequently, the petition was dismissed as devoid of merit, and the connected civil application was also disposed.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to regularisation and a proposal for approval under the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools Rules.
- Whether the advertisement dated 20‑08‑2026 is invalid for not providing a 15‑day application period as required by Rule 9(2)(B).
- Whether the petitioner, having not applied to the advertisement, qualifies as an aggrieved person for writ jurisdiction under Article 226.
- Whether the temporary nature of the appointment order precludes any right to regular appointment.
- Whether Section 5(2A) of the MEPS Rules applies to the petitioner’s three‑year service.
Legislation cited
- Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools Rules, 1981 — s. Rule 9, Rule 9(2)(B), Section 5(1), Section 5(2A)
Subjects
- regularisation
- private school employment
- Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools Rules
- temporary appointment
- writ jurisdiction
- Article 226
- advertisement notice
- probation period
Judgment
2026:BHC-AUG:39941-DB
(1) wp4699.26
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
WRIT PETITION NO. 4699 OF 2026
WITH
CIVIL APPLICATION NO. 9634 OF 2026
VIKAS ANNASAHEB NAKADE
VERSUS
THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND OTHERS
Mr. V.S. Panpatte, Advocate for the petitioner.
Ms.S.S. Joshi, AGP for the respondent-State.
Mr. V.P. Golewar, Advocate for respondent Nos. 4 and 5.
CORAM : KISHORE C. SANT &
JITENDRA JAIN, JJ.
DATE : 27.08.2026
PC :-
01. Heard learned Advocate for the petitioner, learned AGP for
respondent Nos.1 to 3 and learned Advocate for respondent Nos.4 and 5.
02. The petitioner has approached this Court with a prayer to
direct respondent No.5 Head Mistress to submit proposal for approval to
the post of Junior Clerk in respondent No. 5 – school. By way of Civil
Application No. 4699 of 2026, the petitioner is now praying for stay to
the proceeding adopted to appoint Junior Clerk in the school and seeks
quashment of the advertisement published by the management in daily
Lokmat dated 20.08.2026.
(2) wp4699.26
03. It is case of the petitioner that he was appointed by
Headmistress of respondent No.5 to the post of junior clerk by order
dated 04.08.2021. His appointment was for a period from 06.08.2021 till
05.08.2024. It is his further case that after completion of probation
period successfully, his service came to be confirmed by the respondents.
However, inspite of this position, no proposal is forwarded for approval of
his services. On one hand though he is working on the said post, still the
Management, without any Authority and without terminating the services
of the petitioner, has issued further advertisement on 20.08.2026.
Learned Advocate thus submits that said advertisement is illegal. He
submits that the person should be given at least 15 days time to respond
to the advertisement as per Rule 9(2)(B) of the Maharashtra Employees
of Private Schools Rules. In the present case no such time is given. He
assails the advertisement on that count as well. Learned Counsel
submits that the petitioner needs to be treated as a permanent employee
in the school and also proposal needs to be forwarded. He also invites
attention to a communication, confirmation order with regard to the
petitioner dated 04.03.2026. This is also issued by the Head Mistress of
respondent No.5. He thus prays for allowing this petition.
(3) wp4699.26
04. Learned Advocate Mr. Golegaonkar for respondent No.5
invites attention of this Court to the appointment order. He submits that
in clause No.4, it was specifically made clear that the petitioner shall not
be entitled to get benefits of a regular employee. By clause No.7, it was
stated that the petitioner would be entitled only to Rs. 2000/-
honorarium per month. He submits that thereafter again by order dated
18.08.2025 the petitioner was appointed temporarily only for a period
from 02.06.2025 till 30.04.2026. The appointment itself was only a stop
gap arrangement and no regular appointment was given to the petitioner
at any point of time. Since the petitioner was appointed without
following due process of law, there was no question of sending proposal
for approval of his services. He prays for dismissal of the petition.
05. Learned AGP also opposes this petition. He submits that
there is nothing on record to show that the petitioner was appointed by
following due process of law as per Rule 9 of MEPS Rules, 1981. She
also prays for dismissal of the petition.
06. At the outset this Court asked the petitioner as to whether his
appointment was made by following due process of law by publishing
advertisement. Learned Advocate Mr. Panpatte fairly concedes that there
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was no advertisement issued while giving appointment to the petitioner.
He further submits that, however, that itself will not take away his right
to get regularization in service as he has worked satisfactorily for a
period more than three years. It was incumbent on the part of the
management to confer permanent status upon petitioner by sending
proposal.
07. In the present case the petitioner during the course of
arguments, invited attention to letter of confirmation. However, looking
to the same, it is clearly seen that the letter dated 04.03.2026 is only a
certificate issued by the Headmistress stating that the petitioner’s
conduct during the said tenure was excellent. This Court does not find
any letter/communication issued by the management at any point of
time showing that the petitioner is appointed following due process.
Clause No. 10 of the appointment order clearly shows that the
appointment of the petitioner is purely on temporary basis. Clause 11
also shows that the appointment was subject to approval by the
Education Officer. It is seen that the petitioner thereafter joined on
06.08.2021 by giving joining report pursuant to the appointment order.
This conduct of the petitioner shows that he accepted the terms and
conditions of appointment order while joining the services knowingly.
(5) wp4699.26
08. Learned Advocate for the petitioner at this stage invites
attention to clause “B”, i.e. modality to appoint staff or to recruit staff
dated 27.02.2003. Clause “B” shows that a person should be given 15
days time to make application pursuant to an advertisement. This Court
finds that, however, the petitioner has not applied pursuant to order
dated 20.08.2026. This Court made specific query as to whether the
petitioner has applied for the post pursuant to the advertisement. It is
told that he has not applied pursuant to the advertisement, as he was
under an impression that since he was already working there, there is no
need to make an application. He was also under an impression that if he
applied pursuant to the advertisement, it would be treated that he is not
working there and in order to avoid that he has not applied. Since the
petitioner had not applied pursuant to an advertisement, he cannot be
said to be a person aggrieved for the reason of not giving 15 days time.
09. Appointment order dated 18.08.2025 also shows that his
appointment was only for one year and it was specifically submitted that
the appointment will not confer any right to claim regularization. Thus,
considering over all position, this Court finds that there is hardly any
scope to entertain this petition.
(6) wp4699.26
10. During the course of arguments, learned Advocate for the
petitioner invites attention of this Court to section 5(2A) of the Rules,
which reads as under :-
“5(2A) - Subject to the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4), Assistant
Teacher (Probationary) shall, on completion of the probation period of
three years, be deemed to have been appointed and confirmed as a
teacher.”
. He pointed out this portion to submit that when a person has
worked for a period of 3 years, he is deemed to have been appointed and
confirmed as a teacher. So far as section 5 (2A) is concerned, said
provision cannot be read in isolation. It will have been taken that a
person who is duly appointed in the manner prescribed, which is made
clear in section 5(1), which reads as under :-
“5. Certain obligations of Management of private schools.
(1) The Management shall, as soon as possible fill in, in the manner
prescribed, every permanent vacancy in a private school by the
appointment of a person duly qualified to fill such vacancy;
Provided that unless such vacancy is to be filled in by promotion,
the Management shall, before proceeding to fill such vacancy, ascertain
from the Educational Inspector, Greater Bombay, the Education Officer,
Zilla Parishad or, as the case may be, the Director or the officer
designated by the Director in respect of schools imparting technical,
vocational, art or special education, whether there is any suitable person
available on the event of such person being available, the Management
shall appoint that person in such vacancy.”
. Thus in view of section 5(1) and proviso, it is clear that sub-
section (2A) would be applicable only when a person fulfills criteria
(7) wp4699.26
prescribed under section 5(1). It is further seen that Rule 9 of the MEPS
Rules also provide for manner of appointment of staff.
11. Thus, this Court finds that no right is shown by the petitioner
vested in him to get regular appointment. No case is made out to invoke
writ jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of
India.
12. This Writ Petition being devoid of merits, stands dismissed.
13. In view of disposal of this Writ Petition, connected Civil
Application does not survive and stands disposed off.
[JITENDRA JAIN, J.] [KISHORE C. SANT, J.]
snk/2026/Aug26/wp4699.26
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