Shri Ganesh Education Foundation Pachan Vadgaon Thr Its President Vs the State of Maharashtra through Its Secretary and Others — Bombay HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Shri Ganesh Education Foundation Pachan Vadgaon Thr Its President Vs the State of Maharashtra through Its Secretary and Others — Bombay HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petitions disposed of upon the Court recording, as an undertaking, the respondent State's statement that it will withdraw the impugned order dated 01.09.2025, issue show cause notices to the petitioners on the material available with it, follow principles of natural justice, and pass appropriate orders after giving due opportunity to the petitioners.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondent State acted in violation of the principles of natural justice by withdrawing recognition of the petitioners' schools under the Raje Yashwantrao Holkar English Medium Residential School Scheme without first issuing notice to the petitioners.

Court's answer

The statement made by the respondent State — that the impugned order dated 01.09.2025 shall be withdrawn, that show cause notices will be issued to the petitioners, and that principles of natural justice shall be followed before passing any appropriate order after due opportunity — was recorded by the Court as an undertaking to the Court.

Ratio / Principle

In light of the State's undertaking, nothing survived in the petitions; the petitions were disposed of and pending applications, if any, also stood disposed of. The substantive question of alleged violation of natural justice was left to be addressed by the State in the contemplated show cause process and was not adjudicated by this Court.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bombay High Court (Aurangabad Bench), Division Bench of Manish Pitale and Y. G. Khobragade, JJ., 24.09.2025 (per court) — Group of twenty-one writ petitions by educational societies and schools challenging a State order dated 01.09.2025 withdrawing recognition of their schools as part of the 'Raje Yashwantrao Holkar English Medium Residential School Scheme', under which 'Dhangar' community students were admitted and grants released. The petitioners' principal contention was that the drastic action was taken without prior notice, violating natural justice. On 18.09.2025 the Government Pleader had stated that status quo would be maintained. At the hearing, the Government Pleader, on instructions of respondent No.2 (Deputy Secretary, Other Backward Bahujan Welfare Department), stated that the impugned order would be withdrawn, show cause notices would be issued on the material available, natural justice would be followed, and appropriate orders passed after due opportunity. The Court recorded this statement as an undertaking, found nothing survived in the petitions, and disposed of the petitions and pending applications without adjudicating the natural justice grievance on merits.

2025:BHC-AUG:26283-DB

947-WP-11349-2025+group.odt

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE OF BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD

947 WRIT PETITION NO. 11349 OF 2025

VISHWASHANTI SHIKSHAN PRASARAK MANDAL THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

948 WRIT PETITION NO. 11350 OF 2025

SHRI VIDNYANESHWAR SHIKSHAN SANSTHA JALNA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

949 WRIT PETITION NO. 11355 OF 2025

SHIVRAJ BAHUUDDESHIYA SEVABHAVI PRATISHTHAN THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

950 WRIT PETITION NO. 11356 OF 2025

JAGDESHWARI GRAMIN VIKAS PRATISHTHAN VADALA THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANOTHER

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AND

951 WRIT PETITION NO. 11358 OF 2025

LAXMIBAI SHIKSHAN PRASARAK MANDAL THROUGH ITS

SECRETARY

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THRUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

952 WRIT PETITION NO. 11360 OF 2025

SARASWATI BAHUUDDESHIYA SHIKSHAN PRASARAK MANDAL THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

953 WRIT PETITION NO. 11364 OF 2025

JIJA MATA GRAMIN VIKAS VA SHIKSHAN SANSTHA THROUGH ITS

PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANOTHER

AND

954 WRIT PETITION NO. 11365 OF 2025

JAGDAMBA BAHUUDDESHIYA SANSTHA HELAS THROUGH ITS

PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANOTHER

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(( 3 )) 947-WP-11349-2025+group

AND

955 WRIT PETITION NO. 11366 OF 2025

SHRI VIDNYANESHWAR SHIKSHAN SANSTHA JALNA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

956 WRIT PETITION NO. 11367 OF 2025

SHREE GAJANAN BAHUUDDESHIYA SEWABHAVI SANSTHA THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANOTHER

AND

957 WRIT PETITION NO. 11368 OF 2025

JIJA MATA MAHILA VIKAS VA SHIKSHAN SANSTHA THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANOTHER

AND

958 WRIT PETITION NO. 11369 OF 2025

JAY BHADRA BAHUUDDHESHIYA SAMAJIK SANSTHA MAHAL PIMPRI

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY AND ANOTHER

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(( 4 )) 947-WP-11349-2025+group

AND

959 WRIT PETITION NO. 11380 OF 2025

VISHWASHANTI SHIKSHAN PRASARAK MANDAL THROUGH ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

961 WRIT PETITION NO. 11385 OF 2025

SHRI VIDNYANESHWAR SHIKSHAN SANSTHA JALNA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

962 WRIT PETITION NO. 11389 OF 2025

MORESHWAR SHIKSHAN PRASARAK MANDAL THROUGH ITS SECRETARY

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

963 WRIT PETITION NO. 11403 OF 2025

SAMRUDDHI BAHUUDDESHIYA SEVABHAVI SANSTHA THROUGH

ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

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(( 5 )) 947-WP-11349-2025+group

AND

964 WRIT PETITION NO. 11404 OF 2025

SHRI KRUSHNA BAHUUDDESHIYA SEVABHAVI SANSTHA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY AND OTHERS

969 WRIT PETITION NO. 11665 OF 2025

SHRI GANESH EDUCATION FOUNDATION PACHAN VADGAON THR ITS PRESIDENT

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS

AND

971 WRIT PETITION NO. 11678 OF 2025

ASHOK BHAU CHAVAN BAHUUDDESHIYA SEVABHAVI SANSTHA THR ITS SECRETARY

VERSUSTHE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS

AND

994 WRIT PETITION NO. 11653 OF 2025

VSS SCHOOL RUN BY VINDHYACHAL SHIKSHAN SANSTHA

THORUGH ITS MEMBER

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARY AND OTHERS

AND

998 WRIT PETITION NO. 11664 OF 2025

DESARDA PUBLIC SCHOOL THROUGH AMOL KALIDAS DANDGAVHAL

VERSUS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH SECRETARY AND OTHERS

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(( 6 )) 947-WP-11349-2025+group

Mr. V. D. Hon, Senior Advocate a/w Mr. Shubham S. Kote i/b Mr. P. C. Mayure Advocate for Petitioners in Writ Petition Nos. 11349, 11350, 11355, 11358, 11360, 11366, 11380, 11385, 11389 of 2025 Mr. V. D. Hon, Senior Advocate a/w Mr. Shubham S. Kote i/b Mr. A. V. Hon, Advocate for Petitioners in Writ Petition Nos. 11403 and 11404 of 2025

Mr. V. S. Panpatte, Advocate for Petitioners in W.P. Nos.11665 and 11678 of 2025

Mr. S. V. Deshmukh, Advocate for Petitioners in W.P. Nos.11653 and 11664 of 2025

Mr. V. D. Sapkal, Senior Advocate i/b Mr. Atharva D. Khedkar, Advocate for Petitioners in W.P. Nos.11356, 11363, 11365, 11367 and 11368 of 2025

Mr. A. B. Girase, Government Pleader for the Respondent – State in all Petitions

CORAM : MANISH PITALE AND Y. G. KHOBRAGADE, JJ.

DATE : 24.09.2025

PER COURT :-

These petitions were taken up for consideration on

18.09.2025. The petitioners in these petitions are aggrieved by an

order dated 01.09.2025 issued by the respondent State of Maharashtra, whereby, recognition of the schools run by the petitioners, to be part of the “Raje Yashwantrao Holkar English Medium Residential School Scheme” has been withdrawn. Under the said scheme the students belonging to ‘Dhangar’ community, were

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permitted to be admitted in these English medium residential schools, for which certain grants were released to these petitioners.

The principal contention raised on behalf of the petitioners is that the respondent State did not issue notice to them before taking such a drastic action and that therefore, there is violation of principles of natural justice.

On 18.09.2025, when these petitions were taken up for consideration, the following statement was made by Mr. Girase, the learned Government Pleader.

“6. At this stage, Mr. Girase, learned Government Pleader, on instructions, makes a statement that status quo as on today shall be maintained in respect of the schools run by the petitioners in these petitions and that appropriate statement can be made in the next week with regard to the manner in which the respondent – State Authorities would be resisting the aforesaid contention raised on behalf of the petitioners and if required, an appropriate statement can be made, which may eventually dispose of the petitions.”

Today, when these petitions are called out for hearing, the learned Government Pleader, on instructions of respondent No.2 i.e. Deputy Secretary of the Other Backward Bahujan Welfare Department of the State of Maharashtra, makes a statement that the impugned

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order dated 01.09.2025, shall be withdrawn by the respondent State. Thereupon, notices will be issued to the petitioners to show cause as to why action ought not to be taken against them on the basis of material said to be available with the respondent State against the petitioners. It is further stated that principles of natural justice shall be followed and after giving due opportunity to the petitioners, the respondent State, through its functionaries shall proceed to pass appropriate order.

The aforesaid statement is recorded as an undertaking to

this Court.

In the light of the aforesaid statement made on behalf of the respondent State, nothing survives in these petitions and accordingly, they are disposed of. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of.

[ Y. G. KHOBRAGADE, J. ] [ MANISH PITALE, J. ]

SMS

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