1 CGHC010262182026 2026:CGHC:28827 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPC No. 3590 of 2026 1 - Sanjay Agrawal S/o Mahangi Lal Agrawal Aged About 55 Years R/o Main Road, Baikunthpur (Schoolpara), Baikunthpur, P.S. Baikunthpur, Distt. Koria, Chhattisgarh. ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Secretary, Department Of Urban And Rural Development Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan, Nawa Raipur, Atal Nagar, Distt. Raipur, Chhattisgarh. 2 - Collector Korea, Distt. Koriya, Chhattisgarh. 3 - Sub Divisional Officer (R) Baikunthpur, Distt. Koriya, Chhattisgarh. 4 - Assistant Director Town And Country Planning Department, Baikunthpur, Distt. Koriya, Chhattisgarh. 5 - Municipal Council Baikunthpur, Distt. Koriya, Chhattisgarh, Through Its Chief Municipal Officer, Municipal Council, Baikunthpur, Distt. Koriya, Chhattisgarh. 6 - Chief Municipal Officer Municipal Council, Baikunthpur, Distt. Koriya, Chhattisgarh. RAGHVENDRA JAT Digitally signed by RAGHVENDRA JAT 2 ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Malay Shrivastava, Advocate. For Respondent(s)/State : Mr. Anand Dadariya, Dy. A.G. and Mr. Abhishek Gupta, Panel Lawyer. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad Order on Board 10/07/2026 1. By way of this petition, the petitioner has prayed for following reliefs:- “10.1. That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondent no.5 and 6 to decide the application of the petitioner dated 04/04/2025, 22/12/2025 and 19/04/2026 for grant of permission for construction of the marriage hall in the land of the petitioner within stipulated time framed by this Hon'ble Court. 10.2. Any other relief, which this Hon'ble Court may deems fit and proper, may also kindly be granted to the petitioner, in the interest of justice. 10.3. Cost of the petitioner may also be awarded to the petitioner.” 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petitioner has submitted an application/representation before the Chief Municipal Officer, Municipal Council, Baikunthpur, District Koriya, seeking redressal of his grievance. However, despite lapse of considerable time, the said application has neither been considered nor 3 decided by the competent authority. It is submitted that the inaction on the part of the respondent authorities has constrained the petitioner to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India with a prayer to direct the competent authority to consider and decide his pending application in accordance with law within a stipulated time. 3. Per contra, learned State counsel submits that if the petitioner's application is pending before the competent authority, the same shall be considered and decided strictly in accordance with law within such time as may be fixed by this Court. He, however, opposes any direction on the merits of the petitioner's claim and submits that this Court may not express any opinion on the entitlement of the petitioner, leaving it open for the competent authority to take an independent decision in accordance with law. 4. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and upon perusal of the material available on record, this Court finds that the petitioner has approached this Court only for a direction to the competent authority to consider and decide his pending application. 5. It is, however, a matter of serious concern that litigants are repeatedly constrained to invoke the writ jurisdiction of this Court merely for seeking disposal of their pending applications/representations. Such applications ought to be considered by the concerned Revenue Court/ authorities within a 4 reasonable period, thereby avoiding unnecessary litigation and multiplicity of proceedings. 6. The respondent Revenue Courts/ authorities are expected to discharge their statutory and administrative duties diligently and within a reasonable time as they are under obligation to decide the same within time frame. Failure to consider and decide pending applications compels citizens to unnecessarily approach this Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for relief which ought to have been granted by the concerned Revenue Courts/ authorities. 7. It is high time to direct the State authorities to look into the aforesaid matter. 8. In most of the cases certified copies of orders/ judgment could not be supplied by the Revenue Courts as such applications were filed which are pending. Further, several cases of demarcation, mutation and correction of maps are pending since long. 9. Accordingly, the Principal Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, is directed to look into the issue and take appropriate steps by issuing suitable administrative instructions to all the concerned Secretaries of the respective Departments to ensure that applications/representations submitted by citizens are disposed of within a reasonable and prescribed time frame. Mr. Anand Dadariya, Deputy A.G. is directed to communicate a copy of this order to the Principal Secretary, Government of Chhattisgarh, who 5 shall, in turn, circulate the same to all the concerned Departments for necessary compliance. 10. Insofar as the present case is concerned, the Chief Municipal Officer, Municipal Council, Baikunthpur, District Koriya, is directed to consider and decide the petitioner's pending application/representation, strictly in accordance with law, by passing a reasoned and speaking order, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. It is made clear that this Court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the petitioner's claim, and the competent authority shall decide the same independently in accordance with law. 11. With this observation and direction, the writ petition is disposed of. Sd/- (Amitendra Kishore Prasad) Judge Raghu Jat