1 WP8588-26.odt IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR WRIT PETITION NO.8588/2026 (ANIL PANDURANG RATHOD VERSUS THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & OTHERS) Office Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's orders of directions Court's or Judge's order and Registrar's orders. Shri D.T. Shinde, counsel for the petitioner. Smt. S.S. Jachak, Additional Government Pleader for the respondent nos.1 to 3. CORAM : URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE AND RAJ D. WAKODE , JJ. D ATE : OCTOBER 14 , 2026 . P. C. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 2. The petitioner, who is working as an Assistant Secretary with the respondent no.4-Agriculture Produce Market Committee, Washim (for short, ‘the Committee’), has approached this Court seeking direction to the respondent no.4 to consider the petitioner towards granting promotion as Secretary of the respondent no.4-Committee by passing appropriate resolution. 3. Shri D.T. Shinde, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner is working as an Assistant Secretary since 2021. On 05.08.2024, the petitioner had submitted an application to the respondent no.4-Committee for considering his claim for promotion on the post of Secretary. The aforesaid application dated 05.08.2024 is at Record Page No.51, Annexure-15. He further submits the post of Secretary is lying vacant since 01.07.2023 and it is more than two years now that the aforesaid application is not yet adjudicated upon by the respondent no.4 and hence, the petitioner is deprived of an opportunity of being promoted as Secretary of the respondent no.2 Committee. The petitioner is due to retire on 27.05.2031. In view of above, the petitioner has approached this Court seeking expeditious adjudication of his claim. 2026:BHC-NAG:13846-DB 2 WP8588-26.odt 4. In view of above, we direct the respondent no.4-Agriculture Produce Market Committee, Washim to consider and decide the aforesaid application dated 05.08.2024 submitted by the petitioner for grant of promotion on the post of Secretary on its own merits and in accordance with law considering the seniority and merit of the petitioner. The aforesaid exercise shall be completed within eight weeks from the date of production of this order before the respondent no.4-Committee. The petitioner undertakes to produce a copy of this order within a period of two weeks from today before the respondent no.4-Committee. The decision taken by the respondent no.4- Committee be communicated to the petitioner within two weeks from such decision. 5. The writ petition is disposed of in aforesaid terms. No costs. (RAJ D. WAKODE, J.) (URMILA JOSHI-PHALKE, J.) APTE Signed by: Apte Designation: Senior Pvt. Secretary Date: 15/10/2026 11:46:49