406_WP_13210_2026.DOC Ajit IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.13210 OF 2026 Ramesh Onkar Thakur ...Petitioner Versus The State Of Maharashtra Through Secretary And Ors. ...Respondents _______ Mr Vedant D. Bende, for the Petitioner. Ms N. M. Mehra, AGP for the Respondent-State. _______ CORAM: G. S. KULKARNI & DR. NEELA GOKHALE, JJ. DATE: 12th OCTOBER 2026 P.C. 1. By this Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the Petitioner seeks a direction to Respondent Nos. 2 to 4 to consider and decide his representations dated 23rd April 2026, 3rd June 2026, and 2nd July 2026, seeking the Second Benefit under the Assured Career Progression Scheme (‘ACPS’), under the Seventh Pay Commission and consequential revision of pay and pension. 2. The Petitioner retired on 31st May 2016, as a Compounder in the Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra, after rendering more than 34 years of qualifying service. By a communication dated 7th October 2019, Respondent No. 3 informed the Petitioner that it could not sanction his proposal for the Second Benefit under the ACPS for want of a Scheduled Tribe Caste Validity Certificate, and that it would process the proposal upon production of the AJIT RAMESH PATHRIKAR Digitally signed by AJIT RAMESH PATHRIKAR Date: 2026.10.14 17:59:12 +0530 406_WP_13210_2026.DOC certificate. The Petitioner assailed this decision before this Court in Writ Petition No. 8086 of 2023. Pursuant to this Court's judgment and order dated 24th March 2026 in the said petition, the Caste Validity Certificate was issued to the Petitioner on 16th April 2026. The Petitioner thereafter submitted the aforesaid representations, which remain undecided to date; hence, this Petition. 3. Heard Mr Vedant D. Bende, learned Counsel for the Petitioner, and Ms N. M. Mehra, learned AGP for the Respondent-State. 4. The only impediment recorded by the Respondents in their communication dated 7th October 2019 no longer survives. The Petitioner is a retired employee, and his claim pertains to pay, pension and retiral benefits, which cannot be kept pending indefinitely. The ends of justice would be met by directing the Respondents to decide the pending representations within a time-bound schedule. 5. Accordingly, the following order is passed: (a) Respondent Nos. 2 to 4 shall consider and decide the Petitioner’s representations dated 23rd April 2026, 3rd June 2026, and 2nd July 2026, in accordance with law, within four weeks from the date of uploading this order and shall communicate the decision to the Petitioner. (b) All contentions of the parties in that regard are expressly kept open. 6. The Writ Petition is allowed in the above terms. No costs. (DR. NEELA GOKHALE, J) (G. S. KULKARNI, J.)