16-WP-11297-2026.DOC Mayur IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 11297 OF 2026 Mrudula Ashok Chitale …Petitioner Versus The State Of Maharashtra Thru Secretary And Ors …Respondents Mr. Harshad A. Sathe, i/b Ankita Pawar, for the Petitioner. Ms. P. J. Gavhane, AGP, for the Respondent-State. CORAM: SUMAN SHYAM & ADVAIT M. SETHNA, JJ. DATED: 2nd SEPTEMBER 2026. PC:- 1. Mr. Harshad Sathe, learned counsel for the Petitioner, has invited our attention to the order dated 18th December 2025 passed by the learned Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal in MA No. 346 of 2025 with MA No. 657 of 2025 in Original Application No. 387 of 2024, to submit that, despite the aforesaid order fixing the Original Application for final hearing on 9th January 2026, the matter has not been heard and finally decided by the learned Tribunal till date, thus causing serious injury to the interest of the Original Applicant/Writ Petitioner, who is a senior citizen aged MAYUR KONDIRAM ADANE Digitally signed by MAYUR KONDIRAM ADANE Date: 2026.09.07 18:58:13 +0530 16-WP-11297-2026.DOC above 65 years. By producing a copy of the circular dated 3rd August 2009 issued by the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court requiring preference to be given to cases where the parties are all of advanced age, having attained 60 years of age and above, Mr. Sathe, learned counsel for the Petitioner submits that a direction from this Court is called for so as to expedite the disposal of Original Application No. 387 of 2024. 2. Ms. P. J. Gavhane, learned AGP appearing for the State, submits that she has no instructions in the matter. 3. This Court is conscious of the workload of the learned MAT and, therefore, it is understandable that there may be some delay in hearing a case. However, having due regard to the fact that the Petitioner is a senior citizen, we are of the view that an attempt should be made to expedite the hearing and disposal of the Original Application at an early date. As such, without expressing any further opinion in the matter, we dispose of the Writ Petition by making a request to the learned Tribunal to post the Original Application for final hearing within the month of September and dispose of the same by a reasoned order, if necessary, by holding day-to-day hearing of the Original Application. Such a recourse, in 16-WP-11297-2026.DOC our opinion, would be justified considering the advanced age of the Petitioner/Original Applicant. 4. Writ Petition is accordingly disposed of. (ADVAIT M. SETHNA, J.) (SUMAN SHYAM, J.)