sg 15.wp(c)13319-26.docx IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 13319 OF 2026 Vinaya Alias Ruchira Vinod Nanal And Ors. … Petitioners versus The State of Maharashtra And Ors. … Respondents ---- Mr. Avinash Fatangare, a/w. Ms. Archana Shelar, i/b. Fatangare & Associates, for the Petitioners. Mr. Asif I. Patel, AGP, a/w. Mr. M.M. Pable, AGP, for the Respondent/State. ---- CORAM:BHARATI DANGRE & ASHISH S. CHAVAN, JJ. DATE: 12th 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 __________________________________________________ 12th October, 2026 SMITA JOHNSON GONSALVES Digitally signed by SMITA JOHNSON GONSALVES Date: 2026.10.13 12:48:09 +0530 sg 15.wp(c)13319-26.docx 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.) __________________________________________________ 12th October, 2026