Dattatray Tanaji Shinde and Ors. v. the State of Maharashtra and Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
Bombay High Court, Kolhapur Circuit Bench; PIL No. 83 of 2025; Dattatray Tanaji Shinde & Ors. v. The State of Maharashtra & Ors.; decided 12th January 2026 by R.G. Avachat & Ajit B. Kadethankar, JJ. (per court). Subject: writ of mandamus to declare Kabnur (Taluka Hatkanangale, District Kolhapur) a Municipal Council under the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965; conversion of Kabanur Gram Panchayat; State affidavit deferred decision citing imminent local body elections; petitioners' counsel content with time-bound decision; PIL disposed with direction to State Government to decide the proposal at the latest within eight months from conclusion of the concerned local body elections. Keywords: Gram Panchayat to Municipal Council, time-bound direction, PIL disposal, Kolhapur, Hatkanangale.
What did the court decide?
Direction to the State Government to decide the proposal to convert Kabnur Gram Panchayat into a Municipal Council at the earliest, and in any case within eight months from the date of conclusion of the concerned local body elections; the Public Interest Litigation stands disposed of accordingly.