Ashok Janrao and Ors. vs the State of Maharashtra Throu. Its Sec. Law and Judiciary Dept and Anr. — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Ashok Janrao and Ors. vs the State of Maharashtra Throu. Its Sec. Law and Judiciary Dept and Anr. — Bombay HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Writ Petition No. 5278 of 2025 along with the interim application, Writ Petition Nos. 9200 of 2025 and 58 of 2026 stood disposed of in the aforesaid terms, i.e., with the directions that MPSC publish the interview-call list per the extant rules and norms and benchmark, that newly added Recruitment Process-2023 candidates participate provisionally without claiming any equity, that the final decision rest with the High Court, and that the number decrease for any Recruitment Process-2022 selectee who has not joined. Writ Petition Nos. 5486 of 2025 and 61 of 2026 were posted on 28th January 2026.

Issue for consideration

Whether the list of selected candidates under the Recruitment Process-2023 is required to be revised in view of the 43 candidates selected in the Recruitment Process-2022 having been included in that select list. +1 more

Court's answer

Accepting the statements made at the Bar by the learned counsels for the petitioners, the Court directed the Maharashtra Public Service Commission to publish a list of candidates to be called for the interview as per the extant rules and norms, provided they qualify the benchmark.

Ratio / Principle

All newly added candidates from the Recruitment Process-2023 were provisionally permitted to participate in the interview for the post of Civil Judge Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate First Class.

Key takeaways

The final decision in respect of the newly added candidates rests with the High Court.ratio¶27
The newly added candidates shall not claim any equity on whatsoever ground, even if they secure the highest cumulative marks.ratio¶27
With a rider that if any candidate selected in the Recruitment Process-2022 has not tendered joining, the number shall decrease accordingly.ratio

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Bombay High Court (Shree Chandrashekhar, CJ and Gautam A. Ankhad, J.) disposed of connected writ petitions concerning the recruitment of Civil Judge Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate First Class under the recruitment processes of 2022 (pursuant to Advertisement No.26 of 2023) and 2023 in which the Maharashtra Public Service Commission is Respondent No. 2 and the High Court is Respondent No. 3. On the petitioners' statement that the Recruitment Process-2023 select list required revision because the 43 candidates selected in the Recruitment Process-2022 had been included in it, the Court directed MPSC to publish the list of candidates to be called for interview as per the extant rules, norms and benchmark; permitted all newly added Recruitment Process-2023 candidates to participate provisionally in the interview; clarified that such candidates claim no equity on any ground even if they secure the highest cumulative marks; kept the final decision with the High Court; and directed that the number shall decrease if any Recruitment Process-2022 selectee has not tendered joining. Writ Petition Nos. 5486 of 2025 and 61 of 2026 were posted for 28 January 2026.

909.5278.25,58.26,9200.25-.docx

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

WRIT PETITION NO.5278 OF 2025

Digitally Ashok Janrao & Ors. .. Petitioners signed by BASAVRAJ BASAVRAJGURAPPA Vs. GURAPPAPATIL PATILDate: State of Maharashtra & Ors. .. Respondents 2026.01.16 11:47:43 +0530 WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO.9360 OF 2025 IN WRIT PETITION NO.5278 OF 2025 Ajay Mahadev Harsulkar .. Applicant Vs. Ashok Janrao & Ors. .. Respondents In the matter between : Ashok Janrao & Ors. .. Petitioners Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors. .. Respondents WITH WRIT PETITION NO.58 OF 2026 Yogendra V. More .. Petitioner Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors. .. Respondents WITH WRIT PETITION NO.9200 OF 2025 Darshan Govardhan Thube .. Petitioner Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors. .. Respondents

WITH WRIT PETITION NO.5486 OF 2025 AND WRIT PETITION NO.61 OF 2026

…

Mr. Sachin Thorat, Mr. Nitin Gaware Patil, Mr. Mohan

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909.5278.25,58.26,9200.25-.docx

Gawade & Mr. Dhananjay K.Bhosale, Advocates for the Petitioner in WP/5278/2025

Mr.Omprakash Kashid (through VC), Advocate for the Applicant in IA/9360/2025

Mr. Vinod Joshi a/w Mr.S.D.Deshpande, Advocates for the Petitioner in WP/58/2025

Mr. Vikrant Khare a/w Mr. Siddharth Gharat & Mr. Anirudh Rote, Advocates for the Petitioner in WP/9200/2025

Smt. Neha S. Bhide, GP a/w Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP, Mr.Kedar B. Dighe, Addl. GP & Smt. P. J. Gavhane, AGP for the State - Respondent No. 1

Mr. Ashutosh M. Kulkarni a/w Mr. Vipul Raut, Advocates for Respondent No. 2 - MPSC in WP/5278/2025, WP/5486/2025, WP/9200/2025 & WP/58/2026

Dr. Milind Sathe, Senior Advocate a/w Mr. Rahul Nerlekar, Advocates for Respondent No. 3-High Court

None for the Petitioners in WP/5486/2025 & WP/61/2026

CORAM : SHREE CHANDRASHEKHAR, CJ & GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J.

DATE : 14^th JANUARY 2026

P.C. :

It is stated at the Bar that 43 candidates who have qualified for the post of Civil Judge Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate First Class in the recruitment process of 2022 conducted pursuant to the Advertisement No.26 of 2023 have been given appointment letters. Whether or not all those 43 selected candidates have tendered their joining is not specifically stated by the learned counsels for the petitioners. They have, however, submitted that the list of selected candidates falling within the prescribed norms pursuant to the Recruitment Process-2023 is required to be revised in view of the fact that the 43 candidates selected in the Recruitment Process-2022

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909.5278.25,58.26,9200.25-.docx

have been included in the select list for the Recruitment Process2023.

Accepting the statements made at the Bar by the learned counsels for the petitioners, we direct that the Maharashtra Public Service Commission shall publish a list of candidates who shall be called for the interview as per the extant rules and norms and of course if they are qualifying the benchmark. It is, however, made clear that all the newly added candidates from the Recruitment Process-2023 shall be provisionally permitted to participate in the interview for the post of Civil Judge Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate First Class and the final decision shall rest with the High Court. Those newly added candidates shall not claim any equity on whatsoever ground even if they secure highest cumulative marks. On this understanding and with a rider that if any selected candidate in the Recruitment Process-2022 has not tendered joining the number shall decrease accordingly.

Writ Petition No.5278 of 2025 along with Interim Application No.936 of 2025, Writ Petition Nos.9200 of 2025 and 58 of 2026 stand disposed of in the aforesaid terms. 4. Post Writ Petition Nos.5486 of 2025 and 61 of 2026 on 28^th January 2026.

[GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J.] [CHIEF JUSTICE]

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