11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 9750 OF 2026 Maruti Dharma Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Madhukar Maruti Patil 1B. Lilabai Vishnu Tandel 1C. Gulab Ramesh Bhoir 1D. Narayan Maruti Patil 1E. Revati Aaba Patil … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9780 OF 2026 Sitaram Vithu Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Samadhan Kashinath Patil 1B. Suhas Kashinath Patil 1C. Sachin Kashinath Patil 1D. Pramila Sandip Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9784 OF 2026 1. Sukhadev Krishna Tandel 2. Budhubai Pandharinath Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9786 OF 2026 Shankar Kathod Bhoir (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Chandrakant Krishna Bhoir 1B. Goverdhan Shankar Bhoir (deceased) 1B(I). Pushpalata Goverdhan Bhoir DigitallysignedPRIYAPRIYA KAMBLIby 1/10KAMBLI Date:2026.08.0715:00:21+0530 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 1B(II). Jyoti Sagar Thakur 1B(III). Komal Sumit Veta 1B(IV). Sonam Rajesh Mhatre 1B(V). Vrushali Pratik Bhoir 1B(VI). Vinaya Dinesh Patil 1C. Krushnabai Jagannath Naik 1D. Alka Pundalik Patil 1E. Sunita Hiraji Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9787 OF 2026

Raghunath Shivram Patil (deceased), Thr. LRs 1A. Dinkar Raghunath Patil 1B. Surekha Jagdish Patil 1C. Prema Kumar Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9788 OF 2026 1. Vijay Vishwanath Patil 2. Malini Vishwanath Patil @ Malini Dattram Gharat 3. Subhadra Pandurang Mhatre 4. Baliram Vishwanath Patil 5. Asha Pandharinath Mhatre 6. Laxmibai Liladhar Tandel 7. Rakhamabai Ramakant Patil 8. Surekha Vasant Bhoir 9. Vitthal Laxman Patil (deceased), Thr. LRs 9A. Chandrakant Vitthal Patil 9B. Ravindra Vitthal Patil 9C. Krushnabai Baliram Patil 9D. Baby Dinkar Patil 9E. Suman Anant Patil … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents 2/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9791 OF 2026 Dinkar Thakur Kadu (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Prasanna Dinkar Kadu 1B. Yogesh Dinkar Kadu 1C. Vanita Vasant Mhatre 1D. Namrata Arun Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9792 OF 2026 1. Ganesh Sitaram Patil 2. Saraswati Mahadev Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 2.1. Sunita Manohar Patil 2.2. Pranit Sumit Patil 2.3. Yojana Roshan Bhoir 2.4. Alwin Mahadev Tandel 2.5. Omkar Mahadev Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9793 OF 2026 Mahadu Rama Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Bebibai Vasant Madhavi

1B. Sunita Bhagwan Dambale 1C. Prabhavati Arun Bhoir 1D. Pashi Mahadu Tandel 1E. Sangita Dnyaneshwar Patil 1F. Kalpana Mahadu Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents 3/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9794 OF 2026 1. Mahadev Sadashiv Tandel 2. Yatin Sadashiv Tandel 3. Yogini Vasant Patil 4. Alka Hanuman Patil 5. Anandi Harishchandra Mhatre 6. Sharmila Sandeep Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9795 OF 2026 1. Jayram Tukaram Tandel (deceased), Through LR Kusum Jayram Tandel 2. Mahadev Tukaram Tandel 3. Suman Dattatray Tandel 4. Shaila Arjun Tandel 5. Jayant Narayan Tandel 6. Santosh Jayram Tandel 7. Jaiprakash Jairam Tandel 8. Vikas Mahadeo Tandel (deceased),Through LRs 8A. Lalita Vikas Tandel 8B. Nishant Vikas Tandel 8C. Nehali Vikas Tandel 9. Rajendra @ Rajesh Mahadeo Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9796 OF 2026 Ganpat Gosavi Patil … Petitioner vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents 4/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9797 OF 2026 1. Anant Sawalaram Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Nilesh Anant Tandel 1B. Vijay Anant Tandel 1C. Sunita Chandrakant Patil 2. Dhanaji Sawalaram Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 2A. Suresh Dhanaji Tandel 2B. Pratibha Dhanaji Tandel

2C. Pushplata Manoj Mhatre 2D. Suvarna Namdev Patil 2E. Vandana Deepak Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9804 OF 2026 Ahilyabai Gokul Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Jitendra Gokul Patil 1B. Mamata Nilesh Thakur 1C. Sadichha Kundan Bhoir 1D. Darshana Prakash Naik 1E. Sanjala Dhananjay Mukadam … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9805 OF 2026 1. Arun Sawalaram Bhoir (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Jayshree Arun Bhoir 1B. Prashant Arun Bhoir 1C. Roshani Milind Patil 1D. Priti Vikas Patil 2. Ghanshyam Sawalaram Bhoir. 3. Kusum Jayram Tandel 5/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 4. Shankuntala Dhanaji Bhoir 5. Karuna Tulshiram Patil (deceased), Through LR Krushna Tulshiram Patil 6. Vina @ Binabai Mahadev Mhatre (deceased) Through LR Pramila Mahadev Mhatre 7. Alka Vishwamitra Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9806 OF 2026 1. Dinkar Barsha Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Bhimabai Barsha Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A1. Chauthabai Rajaram Tandel 1A2. Baliram Shalik Bhoir 1A3. Venubai Baliram Kadu 1A4. Maruti Shalik Bhoir (deceased), Through LRs 1A4/1. Shakuntala Maruti Bhoir 1A4/2. Pragati Mukund Kadu 1A4/3. Mahesh Maruti Bhoir 1A4/3.1. Anita Mahesh Bhoir 1A4/3.2. Srushti Mahesh Bhoir 1A4/3.3. Vaishnavi Mahesh Bhoir

1A4/4. Rajesh Maruti Bhoir 1A4/5. Suyash Maruti Bhoir 2. Virchandra Dinkar Patil (deceased), Through LRs 2A. Sajesh Virchandra Patil 2B. Mithun Virchandra Patil 2C. Paresh Virchandra Patil 3. Laxmi Jayaram Bhoir 4. Shanta Narayan Gharat 5. Kanta Bansidhar Bhoir 6. Ashok Dinkar Patil 7. Malini Santosh Tandel 8. Shashikant Tukaram Patil 9. Jayvanti Nilkanth Patil 10. Parvati Sadanand Tandel 11. Manjula Pandurang Bhoir 6/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 12. Ranjana Chhagan Patil (deceased), Through LRs 12A. Kirtikumar Chhagan Patil 12B. Jyoti Pramod Patil … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9808 OF 2026 1. Namdeo Tukaram Bhoir 2. Sahadeo Tukaram Bhoir (deceased), Through LR Shalini Sahadeo Bhoir 3. Eknath Tukaram Bhoir … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9809 OF 2026 1. Ramakant Shankar Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Surekha Ramakant Tandel 1B. Deepika Mayur Mhatre 1C. Pooja Ramakant Tandel 2. Suman Ramakant Naik … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents Mr. Niketan Nakhawa a/w. Mr. Mahendra J. Mhatre and Mr. Pramod Purav for petitioners in all petitions. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. Tanu Bhatia, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9750/2026 and WP/9796/2026.

Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. M. S. Bane, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9780/2026, WP/9787/2026, WP/9788/2026 and WP/9794/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. D. S. Deshmukh, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9784/2026 and WP/9805/2026. 7/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. G. R. Raghuwanshi, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9786/2026, WP/9791/2026 and WP/9797/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Mr. R. S. Pawar, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9792/2026, WP/9804/2026 and WP/9809/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Mr. M. M. Pabale, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9793/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Mr. S. P. Kamble, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9795/2026. Ms. Pooja Patil, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9806/2026. Ms. P. M. J. Deshpande, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9808/2026. CORAM : MANISH PITALE & SHREERAM V. SHIRSAT, JJ DATE : 06th AUGUST, 2026 P.C. : . A shocking state of affairs is placed before this Court by these petitions. The petitioners or their predecessors had filed applications under Section 28A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (the said Act) way back in the year 1993 on various dates. According to the petitioners, the applications have remained pending without any consideration or effective orders for the past 33 years.

2. In the interregnum, in some cases, the original claimants/land owners have expired and their legal representatives are pursuing the applications. 3. Except petitions at Sr. Nos.26 and 27, copies of other petitions were received by the office of the learned Government Pleader and hence, the AGPs appearing today in these petitions have taken specific instructions from the officer presently holding the post of Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition, Metro Centre No.3, Thane. 8/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 4. A communication dated 05.08.2026 is addressed by the said officer to the learned Government Pleader of this Court on the appellate side. After referring to 16 petitioners i.e. petitioners in writ petitions at Sr. Nos.11 to 15 and 28, the said officer has stated that he has recently taken charge and since the applications have been pending for the past 33 years, if time period of six months is granted, the applications shall be disposed of. The said communication is taken on record. 5. The learned AGPs, on instructions, make a statement that even with regard to the writ petitions at Sr. Nos.26 and 27, same time period can be granted for disposal.

6. The said communication also indicates that 16 applications placed before the said officer, have been taken up for directions today i.e. on 06.08.2026. It is also brought to the notice of this Court that the said officer was also kept busy by the exercise of Special Intensive Revision of the voters’ rolls taking place in the State of Maharashtra. 7. While we are of the opinion that the officer presently holding the said post may not be held directly responsible for the huge delay of 33 years, the facts on record show the casual manner in which the applications preferred by the petitioners or their predecessors, have been treated by the State authorities. 8. The writ petitions are disposed of by directing respondent No.3 – Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition, Metro Centre No.3, Thane, to take up the pending applications concerning the petitioners, filed under Section 28A of the said Act, and to dispose of the same within a period of six months from today. 9/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 9. Considering the long time period for which the applications have remained pending, it is made clear that no extension of time shall be granted. 10. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of. (SHREERAM V. SHIRSAT, J.) (MANISH PITALE, J.) Priya Kambli 10/10

11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 9750 OF 2026 Maruti Dharma Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Madhukar Maruti Patil 1B. Lilabai Vishnu Tandel 1C. Gulab Ramesh Bhoir 1D. Narayan Maruti Patil 1E. Revati Aaba Patil … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9780 OF 2026 Sitaram Vithu Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Samadhan Kashinath Patil 1B. Suhas Kashinath Patil 1C. Sachin Kashinath Patil 1D. Pramila Sandip Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9784 OF 2026 1. Sukhadev Krishna Tandel 2. Budhubai Pandharinath Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9786 OF 2026 Shankar Kathod Bhoir (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Chandrakant Krishna Bhoir 1B. Goverdhan Shankar Bhoir (deceased) 1B(I). Pushpalata Goverdhan Bhoir DigitallysignedPRIYAPRIYA KAMBLIby 1/10KAMBLI Date:2026.08.0715:00:21+0530 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 1B(II). Jyoti Sagar Thakur 1B(III). Komal Sumit Veta 1B(IV). Sonam Rajesh Mhatre 1B(V). Vrushali Pratik Bhoir 1B(VI). Vinaya Dinesh Patil 1C. Krushnabai Jagannath Naik 1D. Alka Pundalik Patil 1E. Sunita Hiraji Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9787 OF 2026

Raghunath Shivram Patil (deceased), Thr. LRs 1A. Dinkar Raghunath Patil 1B. Surekha Jagdish Patil 1C. Prema Kumar Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9788 OF 2026 1. Vijay Vishwanath Patil 2. Malini Vishwanath Patil @ Malini Dattram Gharat 3. Subhadra Pandurang Mhatre 4. Baliram Vishwanath Patil 5. Asha Pandharinath Mhatre 6. Laxmibai Liladhar Tandel 7. Rakhamabai Ramakant Patil 8. Surekha Vasant Bhoir 9. Vitthal Laxman Patil (deceased), Thr. LRs 9A. Chandrakant Vitthal Patil 9B. Ravindra Vitthal Patil 9C. Krushnabai Baliram Patil 9D. Baby Dinkar Patil 9E. Suman Anant Patil … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents 2/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9791 OF 2026 Dinkar Thakur Kadu (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Prasanna Dinkar Kadu 1B. Yogesh Dinkar Kadu 1C. Vanita Vasant Mhatre 1D. Namrata Arun Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9792 OF 2026 1. Ganesh Sitaram Patil 2. Saraswati Mahadev Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 2.1. Sunita Manohar Patil 2.2. Pranit Sumit Patil 2.3. Yojana Roshan Bhoir 2.4. Alwin Mahadev Tandel 2.5. Omkar Mahadev Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9793 OF 2026 Mahadu Rama Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Bebibai Vasant Madhavi

1B. Sunita Bhagwan Dambale 1C. Prabhavati Arun Bhoir 1D. Pashi Mahadu Tandel 1E. Sangita Dnyaneshwar Patil 1F. Kalpana Mahadu Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents 3/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9794 OF 2026 1. Mahadev Sadashiv Tandel 2. Yatin Sadashiv Tandel 3. Yogini Vasant Patil 4. Alka Hanuman Patil 5. Anandi Harishchandra Mhatre 6. Sharmila Sandeep Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9795 OF 2026 1. Jayram Tukaram Tandel (deceased), Through LR Kusum Jayram Tandel 2. Mahadev Tukaram Tandel 3. Suman Dattatray Tandel 4. Shaila Arjun Tandel 5. Jayant Narayan Tandel 6. Santosh Jayram Tandel 7. Jaiprakash Jairam Tandel 8. Vikas Mahadeo Tandel (deceased),Through LRs 8A. Lalita Vikas Tandel 8B. Nishant Vikas Tandel 8C. Nehali Vikas Tandel 9. Rajendra @ Rajesh Mahadeo Tandel … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9796 OF 2026 Ganpat Gosavi Patil … Petitioner vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents 4/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9797 OF 2026 1. Anant Sawalaram Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Nilesh Anant Tandel 1B. Vijay Anant Tandel 1C. Sunita Chandrakant Patil 2. Dhanaji Sawalaram Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 2A. Suresh Dhanaji Tandel 2B. Pratibha Dhanaji Tandel

2C. Pushplata Manoj Mhatre 2D. Suvarna Namdev Patil 2E. Vandana Deepak Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9804 OF 2026 Ahilyabai Gokul Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Jitendra Gokul Patil 1B. Mamata Nilesh Thakur 1C. Sadichha Kundan Bhoir 1D. Darshana Prakash Naik 1E. Sanjala Dhananjay Mukadam … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9805 OF 2026 1. Arun Sawalaram Bhoir (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Jayshree Arun Bhoir 1B. Prashant Arun Bhoir 1C. Roshani Milind Patil 1D. Priti Vikas Patil 2. Ghanshyam Sawalaram Bhoir. 3. Kusum Jayram Tandel 5/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 4. Shankuntala Dhanaji Bhoir 5. Karuna Tulshiram Patil (deceased), Through LR Krushna Tulshiram Patil 6. Vina @ Binabai Mahadev Mhatre (deceased) Through LR Pramila Mahadev Mhatre 7. Alka Vishwamitra Mhatre … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9806 OF 2026 1. Dinkar Barsha Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Bhimabai Barsha Patil (deceased), Through LRs 1A1. Chauthabai Rajaram Tandel 1A2. Baliram Shalik Bhoir 1A3. Venubai Baliram Kadu 1A4. Maruti Shalik Bhoir (deceased), Through LRs 1A4/1. Shakuntala Maruti Bhoir 1A4/2. Pragati Mukund Kadu 1A4/3. Mahesh Maruti Bhoir 1A4/3.1. Anita Mahesh Bhoir 1A4/3.2. Srushti Mahesh Bhoir 1A4/3.3. Vaishnavi Mahesh Bhoir

1A4/4. Rajesh Maruti Bhoir 1A4/5. Suyash Maruti Bhoir 2. Virchandra Dinkar Patil (deceased), Through LRs 2A. Sajesh Virchandra Patil 2B. Mithun Virchandra Patil 2C. Paresh Virchandra Patil 3. Laxmi Jayaram Bhoir 4. Shanta Narayan Gharat 5. Kanta Bansidhar Bhoir 6. Ashok Dinkar Patil 7. Malini Santosh Tandel 8. Shashikant Tukaram Patil 9. Jayvanti Nilkanth Patil 10. Parvati Sadanand Tandel 11. Manjula Pandurang Bhoir 6/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 12. Ranjana Chhagan Patil (deceased), Through LRs 12A. Kirtikumar Chhagan Patil 12B. Jyoti Pramod Patil … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9808 OF 2026 1. Namdeo Tukaram Bhoir 2. Sahadeo Tukaram Bhoir (deceased), Through LR Shalini Sahadeo Bhoir 3. Eknath Tukaram Bhoir … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 9809 OF 2026 1. Ramakant Shankar Tandel (deceased), Through LRs 1A. Surekha Ramakant Tandel 1B. Deepika Mayur Mhatre 1C. Pooja Ramakant Tandel 2. Suman Ramakant Naik … Petitioners vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Chief Secy. & ors. … Respondents Mr. Niketan Nakhawa a/w. Mr. Mahendra J. Mhatre and Mr. Pramod Purav for petitioners in all petitions. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. Tanu Bhatia, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9750/2026 and WP/9796/2026.

Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. M. S. Bane, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9780/2026, WP/9787/2026, WP/9788/2026 and WP/9794/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. D. S. Deshmukh, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9784/2026 and WP/9805/2026. 7/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. G. R. Raghuwanshi, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9786/2026, WP/9791/2026 and WP/9797/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Mr. R. S. Pawar, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9792/2026, WP/9804/2026 and WP/9809/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Mr. M. M. Pabale, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9793/2026. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Mr. S. P. Kamble, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9795/2026. Ms. Pooja Patil, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9806/2026. Ms. P. M. J. Deshpande, AGP for respondents – State authorities in WP/9808/2026. CORAM : MANISH PITALE & SHREERAM V. SHIRSAT, JJ DATE : 06th AUGUST, 2026 P.C. : . A shocking state of affairs is placed before this Court by these petitions. The petitioners or their predecessors had filed applications under Section 28A of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (the said Act) way back in the year 1993 on various dates. According to the petitioners, the applications have remained pending without any consideration or effective orders for the past 33 years.

2. In the interregnum, in some cases, the original claimants/land owners have expired and their legal representatives are pursuing the applications. 3. Except petitions at Sr. Nos.26 and 27, copies of other petitions were received by the office of the learned Government Pleader and hence, the AGPs appearing today in these petitions have taken specific instructions from the officer presently holding the post of Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition, Metro Centre No.3, Thane. 8/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 4. A communication dated 05.08.2026 is addressed by the said officer to the learned Government Pleader of this Court on the appellate side. After referring to 16 petitioners i.e. petitioners in writ petitions at Sr. Nos.11 to 15 and 28, the said officer has stated that he has recently taken charge and since the applications have been pending for the past 33 years, if time period of six months is granted, the applications shall be disposed of. The said communication is taken on record. 5. The learned AGPs, on instructions, make a statement that even with regard to the writ petitions at Sr. Nos.26 and 27, same time period can be granted for disposal.

6. The said communication also indicates that 16 applications placed before the said officer, have been taken up for directions today i.e. on 06.08.2026. It is also brought to the notice of this Court that the said officer was also kept busy by the exercise of Special Intensive Revision of the voters’ rolls taking place in the State of Maharashtra. 7. While we are of the opinion that the officer presently holding the said post may not be held directly responsible for the huge delay of 33 years, the facts on record show the casual manner in which the applications preferred by the petitioners or their predecessors, have been treated by the State authorities. 8. The writ petitions are disposed of by directing respondent No.3 – Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition, Metro Centre No.3, Thane, to take up the pending applications concerning the petitioners, filed under Section 28A of the said Act, and to dispose of the same within a period of six months from today. 9/10 11-28_WP_9750_26 & ors.doc 9. Considering the long time period for which the applications have remained pending, it is made clear that no extension of time shall be granted. 10. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed of. (SHREERAM V. SHIRSAT, J.) (MANISH PITALE, J.) Priya Kambli 10/10