5-wp.12853.2026.doc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.12853 OF 2026 Ravindra Jayawantrao Shinde and Anr. ...Petitioners Versus State of Maharashtra and Ors. ...Respondents Mr. Prithviraj S. Gole with Mr. Abhishek Shende and Ms. Juhi Raut for the Petitioners Mr. M. M. Pabale, A.G.P. for the Respondent-State. CORAM: BHARATI DANGRE & ASHISH S. CHAVAN, JJ. DATE : 5th OCTOBER 2026 P.C. : 1. In the wake of the directions issued by us in a bunch of Writ Petitions, the lead Petition being Writ Petition No.1536 of 2017, decided on 23rd July 2026, as well the directions issued in Writ Petition No.5344 of 2026 decided on 24th August 2026, we deem it appropriate to permit the petitioners to prefer a representation to the Deputy Conservator of Forests and permit the petition to be treated as a representation to be placed before the Scrutiny Committee which N. S. Chitnis 1/2 NISHA SANDEEP CHITNIS Digitally signed by NISHA SANDEEP CHITNIS Date: 2026.10.06 12:45:43 +0530 5-wp.12853.2026.doc shall follow the mandate as set out in the Government Resolution dated 13th August 2026, issued by the Revenue and Forest Department, streamlining for redressal of grievance of those who claim that their lands have been wrongly mutated as ‘Private Forests’ without following the procedure laid down in Section 35 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. All the proceedings shall be adjudicated by the Scrutiny Committee in expeditious manner. With the aforesaid directions, the writ petition stands disposed of. ASHISH S. CHAVAN, J. BHARATI DANGRE, J. N. S. Chitnis 2/2