Bombay High Court
WP/5457/2026 of RAVINDRA DILIP DHANAK Vs THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THR ITS PR. SECRETARY, TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND ORS on 16 October 2026
COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIRCUIT BENCH AT KOLHAPUR CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION (Sr. No. 908) WRIT PETITION NO. 5457 of 2026 Ravindra Dilip Dhanak … Petitioner Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Ors. … Respondents WITH (Sr. No. 909) WRIT PETITION NO. 5459 of 2026 Anil Bhambu
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CIRCUIT BENCH AT KOLHAPUR
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
(Sr. No. 908) WRIT PETITION NO. 5457 of 2026
Ravindra Dilip Dhanak
… Petitioner
Vs.
The State of Maharashtra & Ors.
… Respondents
WITH
(Sr. No. 909) WRIT PETITION NO. 5459 of 2026
Anil Bhambu Davale
… Petitioner
Vs.
The State of Maharashtra & Ors.
… Respondents
WITH
(Sr. No. 910) WRIT PETITION NO. 5460 of 2026
Hirabai Dagdu Dhebe
… Petitioner
Vs.
The State of Maharashtra & Ors.
… Respondents
………….
Mr. Harsh Khot a/w Nitin Nikam for the Petitioner Mr. J.P. Patil, AGP for Respondent – State in Sr. No. 908 and 910.
Mr. Sanjay D. Rayrikar, AGP for Respondent – State in Sr. No. 909.
………….
CORAM : SHAILESH P. BRAHME, J.
DATE : 16th OCTOBER, 2026.
P. C. :
.
Heard learned counsel Mr. Khot for the petitioners and learned AGPs.
2.
This Court has already taken view in similarly situated matters, one
1 of
such common order passed on 24.09.2026 in Writ Petition No. 4807 of 2026 and connected matters is placed on record. The Learned counsel for the petitioner prays to pass similar order on the ground of parity.
3.
Learned AGP opposes the submissions.
4.
In the present matter also selfsame common order dated 24.07.2026 passed by the District Level Forest Rights Committee are under challenge. The grievance of the petitioner is that there was no objective scrutiny and the material produced by them was not taken into account.
5.
I find that these cases are squarely covered by the view taken by this Court. They are entitled to have the same relief on the ground of parity. I, therefore, partly allow the petition and pass following order:-
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ORDER
(a) The impugned orders passed by the Collector, founded on the minutes of the meeting dated 24.07.2026, are quashed and set aside to the extent of the Petitioners only.
(b) The matter is relegated to the District Level Committee for deciding the Petitioners' claims afresh, after extending an opportunity of hearing to them, on their own merits.
(c) The decision shall be taken within a period of six months on its
2 of own merits.
(d) No coercive action shall be taken against the Petitioners qua the land occupied by them till the decision of the Committee.
(e) The parties shall appear before the Committee on 26.10.2026 ( SHAILESH P. BRAHME, J. ) Uday S. Jagtap 3 of