Kalpana Ashok Palaspagar and Others vs State of Maharashtra, Thr. Secretary for Rural Devpt. Dept., Mumbai and Ors. — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Kalpana Ashok Palaspagar and Others vs State of Maharashtra, Thr. Secretary for Rural Devpt. Dept., Mumbai and Ors. — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Interim order: notice issued to the respondents, returnable on 24.02.2026 (learned AGP waived service for the State); petitioners permitted to serve the remaining respondents by private mode and to file an affidavit by next date; respondents directed not to act upon the impugned communication/circular dated 23.01.2026 till next date, confined to the Grampanchayats where the petitioners serve as Sarpanch.

Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned notification/communication-circular dated 23.01.2026 is sustainable, as challenged by the petitioners (stated elsewhere in the order to be serving as Sarpanch of Grampanchayats).

Court's answer

Prima facie view of the Court that the reason submitted in the impugned communication/circular dated 23.01.2026 is mis-conceived; final adjudication deferred to the returnable date.

Ratio / Principle

Ad-interim operative direction: the respondents were directed not to act upon the impugned communication/circular dated 23.01.2026 till the next date.

Key takeaways

Scope of the interim order confined to the Grampanchayats of which the petitioners are serving as Sarpanch.ratio¶¶23

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bombay High Court (Nagpur Bench), Anil S. Kilor and Raj D. Wakode, JJ., interim order dated 17.02.2026 in Writ Petition No.1532 of 2026 — Kalpana Ashok Palaspagar and others v. State of Maharashtra and others. Petitioners, stated to be serving as Sarpanch of Grampanchayats, challenged an impugned notification/communication-circular dated 23.01.2026. The Court observed prima facie that the reason submitted in the impugned communication/circular was mis-conceived, issued notice to the respondents returnable on 24.02.2026, and gave an ad-interim direction that the respondents shall not act upon the impugned communication/circular dated 23.01.2026 till the next date, clarified to pertain only to the Grampanchayats of which the petitioners are serving as Sarpanch. Service: learned AGP waived for the State; petitioners permitted to serve remaining respondents by private mode with affidavit by next date, failing which costs of Rs.500 were to be deposited in the Public Welfare Account with Union Bank of India, High Court Branch, Civil Lines, Nagpur. The learned Government Pleader's submission (recorded as a submission, not a holding) that respondent No.1 was reconsidering the policy under the impugned notification and would issue a final notification within one week is noted.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.

WRIT PETITION NO.1532 OF 2026

KALPANA ASHOK PALASPAGAR AND OTHERS

VS

THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA, THR. SECRETARY OF RURAL DEVPT. DEPT., MUMBAI AND ORS.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, Court's or Judge's orders appearances, Court's orders or directions and Registrar's orders

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ MR. S.I. Ghatte, Adv. And Mr. S.S. Karanjkar, Advocate for the petitioner/s Mr. D.V. Chauhan, G.P./Sr. Advocate a/b Mr. J.Y. Ghurde, AGP for the respondent No.1 and 3/State

CORAM : ANIL S. KILOR AND RAJ D. WAKODE, JJ. DATE : 17.02.2026

Heard the learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. D.V. Chauhan, learned Government Pleader/Sr. Advocate for the respondent/State.

The petitioner seeks to challenge the impugned notification dated 23.01.2026 (Page 27).

Prima facie according to us, the reason submitted in the impugned communication/circular dated 23.01.2026, is mis-conceived.

4. In view of the above, issue notice to the respondents, returnable on 24.02.2026.

5. The learned AGP waives service of notice for the respondent/State.

6. The petitioners are permitted to serve the remaining respondents by private mode, in addition to the regular mode of service and shall file an affidavit by next date,

nd.thawre

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failing which the petitioners shall deposit costs of Rs.500/with the Public Welfare Account maintained with Union Bank of India, High Court Branch, Civil Lines, Nagpur, bearing Account No. 129712010001014 and IFSC Code UBIN0812978.

7. Office objections(s), if any, shall be removed before the next date.

Accordingly, we direct the respondents not to act upon the impugned communication/circular dated 23.01.2026, till next date.

It is clarified that the aforesaid interim order is pertaining to the Grampanchayats of which the petitioners are serving as Sarpanch.

10. The learned Government Pleader submits that respondent No.1 is in the process of reconsidering the policy adopted under the impugned notification dated 23.01.2026 and that a final notification in respect thereof shall be issued within one week.

(RAJ D. WAKODE, J.) (ANIL S. KILOR, J.)

Signed by: Mr. Niranjan Thawre Designation: PA To Honourable Judge nd.thawre Date: 17/02/2 026 19:58 :06