(1) 109.wp.7452.2026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH : NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO.7452 OF 2026 Sunil Namdeo Kamble Vs. Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, through Chief Engineer and others -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, Court's or Judge's orders appearances, Court's orders of directions and Registrar's orders -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Nihalsing B. Rathod, Advocate for petitioner. CORAM : URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE AND RAJ D. WAKODE, JJ. DATED : 22/09/2026 1. Heard Mr. Nihalsing Rathod, learned counsel for the petitioner. The petitioner is an employee of respondent No.1 Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company. The petitioner being aggrieved by the penalty imposed by the respondent No.1 on 03.07.2024, challenged the same in departmental appeal before the respondent No.2 on 21.08.2024. 2. The learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that the respondent No.2 without dealing with the grounds as raised by the petitioner in the administrative appeal has rejected the same by way of a cryptic order on 16.12.2025. 3. Being aggrieved by such order, the petitioner has approached the respondent No.3 Director (Operations) Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company by filing the second appeal on 28.01.2026. The copy of which is on record at Page No.72 (Annexure - P). 2026:BHC-NAG:12639-DB (2) 109.wp.7452.2026 4. Mr. Nihalsing Rathod, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that though such appeal was filed on 28.01.2026, and now, almost eight months have been passed, the respondent No.3 has not conducted even a single date of hearing and thus, the petitioner has no remedy but to approach this Court seeking challenge to the penalty imposed by the respondents. 5. In view of the fact that the administrative appeal as provided under the statute is pending before the respondent No.3, we dispose of the present writ petition with a direction to the respondent No.3 Director (Operations) Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company, Mumbai to grant an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner and decide the aforesaid administrative appeal on its own merits and in accordance with law and by dealing with all the grounds as raised by the petitioner in his memo of appeal within a stipulated period of eight weeks from the date of production of the order of this Court. 6. Learned counsel for the petitioner undertakes that the petitioner shall produce a copy of the order passed by this Court before the respondent No.3 within a period of one week from today. 7. The decision taken thereupon shall be communicated to the petitioner within a period of two weeks thereafter. 8. Writ petition is accordingly, disposed of. (RAJ D. WAKODE, J) (URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J) Sarkate Signed by: Mr. A.R. Sarkate Designation: PA To Honourable Judge Date: 23/09/2026 20:01:27