Priti Ramdas Joshi vs the State of Maharashtra through Secretary and Ors. — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Priti Ramdas Joshi vs the State of Maharashtra through Secretary and Ors. — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Impugned order dated 02-08-2020 set aside; Petitioner granted 100% salary grant benefits with effect from 01-02-2020 (per the AGP's instruction-based statement, adopted by the Court); arrears to be calculated and paid within 60 days; disposed-off Petition listed for recording compliance on 12-06-2026.

Issue for consideration

Whether the impugned order dated 2nd August, 2020 should continue to operate, given the law laid down by this Court in its earlier judgments in WP 5313/2017 (decided 25-04-2019) and WP 1493/2018 together with WP 6127/2016 (decided 04-07-2019); per the AGP's submission on instructions, it would not be acted upon. +1 more

Court's answer

In view of the statements made by the AGP on instructions (invoking the Court's earlier judgments in WP 5313/2017, WP 1493/2018 and WP 6127/2016), the impugned order dated 2nd August, 2020 stands set aside.

Ratio / Principle

The Petitioner is entitled to the benefits stated by the AGP on instructions (100% salary grant benefits with effect from 1st February, 2020), and the arrears shall be paid to the Petitioner within 60 days from the date of this judgment.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bombay High Court, Civil Appellate Jurisdiction (Ravindra V. Ghuge & Abhay J. Mantri, JJ.), Writ Petition No.3129 of 2025 — Priti Ramdas Joshi v. The State of Maharashtra and Ors. (decided 06-04-2026): Acting on the AGP's statement given on instructions from Respondent No.2 (Education Officer Karekar), invoking the law laid down by the Court in Devkar Dipali Kisan (WP 5313/2017, judgment dt. 25-04-2019, Gavai & Shinde JJ.) and in Suryakant Muge (WP 1493/2018) along with Nalini Uttamsingh Patil (WP 6127/2016) (judgment dt. 04-07-2019, Gangapurwala & Dhavale JJ.), the Court set aside the impugned order dt. 02-08-2020, held the Petitioner entitled to 100% salary grant benefits w.e.f. 01-02-2020, and directed that calculated arrears be paid within 60 days. Petition partly allowed in the above terms; listed for recording compliance on 12-06-2026.

Digitally signed by GAURI GAURI AMIT GAEKWAD AMIT Date: GAEKWAD 2026.04.07 15:26:30 +0530

16.WP-3129-2025.odt

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION NO.3129 OF 2025

Priti Ramdas Joshi ….Petitioner

Versus

The State of Maharashtra and Ors. ….Respondents

Ms. Pranita Pramod Hingmire for the Petitioner. Mr. Abhishek Bhadang, AGP for Respondent Nos.1 and 2.

CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE

&

DATE : 6^th APRIL, 2026

P.C. :-

This matter was heard for quite some time. We had granted an overnight pass over to the learned AGP, on request. However, before rising from the Court in the second session, the learned AGP requested leave to mention this matter. Hence, the matter is once again called out.

The learned AGP submits, on instructions from Respondent No.2, Mr. Karekar, Education Officer, that, considering the law laid down by this Court in Writ Petition No.5313 of 2017 (Devkar Dipali Kisan and Ors. v/s. The State of Maharashtra and

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ORs.), along with a long list of cases, vide judgment dated 25^th April, 2019 [Coram : B.R. Gavai (as His Lordship then was) and Sandeep K. Shinde, JJ.], and the judgment of this Court [Coram : S.V. Gangapurwala (as His Lordship then was) and A.M. Dhavale, JJ.] dated 4^th July, 2019 in Writ Petition No.1493 of 2018 (Suryakant s/o. Janardan Muge v/s. The State of Maharashtra and Ors.) along with Writ Petition No.6127 of 2016 (Nalini Uttamsingh Patil and Anr. v/s. The State of Maharashtra and Ors.), the impugned order dated 2^nd August, 2020 would not be acted upon, and the Petitioner would be granted 100% salary grant benefits with effect from 1^st February, 2020. The arrears would be calculated and paid to the Petitioner within a period of 60 days from today.

In view of the above, the impugned order dated 2^nd August, 2020 stands set aside. The Petitioner would be entitled to the benefits in the light of the above statements, and the arrears shall be paid to the Petitioner within 60 days from today.

4. This Petition is partly allowed in the above terms .

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List this disposed off Petition for ‘ recording

compliance ’ on 12^th June, 2026 .

(ABHAY J. MANTRI, J.)

(RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)

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