Pundalik Rangnath Aher v. the State of Maharashtra through Tribal Development Department and Others
Case brief
What is this about?
Keywords: Forest Rights Act 2006; Section 2(c) (tribals/Scheduled Tribes); Section 2(o) (other traditional forest dwellers); occupation of forest-area premises; cut-off date 13.12.2005; Sub Divisional Officer; Additional Collector; Village Level Committee; remand for fresh decision; six-month completion timeline; all points kept open; Aurangabad Bench, Bombay High Court; Justice Siddheshwar S. Thombre; Maharashtra Tribal Development Department; batch of ten writ petitions led by W.P. No. 7943 of 2023.
What did the court decide?
Orders dated 05.10.2018 (Sub Divisional Officer) and 02.02.2022 (Additional Collector) set aside; matters remitted to the Sub Divisional Officer to decide afresh, with a direction to consider whether the cases should be referred to the Village Level Committee and, if so, to refer them, completing the entire exercise within six months; all points kept open.