Bombay High Court
Varsha Rajdhari Yadav vs State Of Maharashtra Thr. Secretary Law ... on 18 May, 2026
502 to 509 511-512-WP-6572-2026 AND ORS..doc
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
WRIT PETITION NO. 6572 OF 2026
Mr. Satyajit Vishwanath Kumbhar and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6668 OF 2026
Mr. Shirish Samant and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6670 OF 2026
Mr. Bhavesh Vishnu Magam and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6671 OF 2026
Pooja Siddhesh Pandey and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6673 OF 2026
Snehal Suresh Deshmukh and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
Manisha 1/6
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WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6674 OF 2026
Dattatraya Vilas Devkar and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
Maharashtra Public Service Commission and ... Respondents
Ors.
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6675 OF 2026
Varsha Rajdhari Yadav and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6676 OF 2026
Roma Laxman Tribhuwan and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6682 OF 2026
Mr. Rahul Panditrao Sadolikar and Ors. ... Petitioners
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION NO. 6683 OF 2026
Vrushali Mahadeo Gawade ... Petitioner
Versus
State of Maharashtra and Ors. ... Respondents
Manisha 2/6
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Mr. Onkar A. Wable a/w Mr. Umakant Waghmare, for the Petitioners in
WP/6572/2026 and WP/6682/2026.
Dr. Uday Warunjikar a/w Ms. Sakshi Inamdar and Mr. Jenish Jain, for the
Petitioners in WP/6668/2026, WP/6670/2026, WP/6671/2026,
WP/6673/2026, WP/6674/2026, WP/6675/2026, WP/6676/2026
Mr. S. S, Kanetkar, for the Registrar General, High Court Bombay in all
Writ Petitions.
Mr. Utkarsh Pondkule, for the Petitioner in WP/6683/2026.
Mr. P. P. Kakade, Addl. G.P., a/w Ms. M. S. Srivastava, A.G.P., for the
Respondent-State in WP/6572/2026, WP/6668/2026, WP/6670/2026,
WP/6682/2026.
Mr. P. P. Kakade, Addl. G.P., a/w Mr. A. R. Deolekar, A.G.P., for the
Respondent-State in WP/6671/2026, WP/6673/2026.
P. P. Kakade, Addl. G.P., a/w Mr. V. G. Badgujar, A.G.P., for the
Respondent-State in WP/6674/2026, WP/6675/2026, WP/6676/2026.
WP/6683/2026.
--------------------
CORAM : GAUTAM A. ANKHAD &
SANDESH D. PATIL, JJ.
DATE : 18th MAY, 2026.
(VACATION COURT)
P.C. :
1. This batch of Writ Petitions raises a substantially common issue, though the factual matrix in each matter may vary marginally. The Manisha 3/6 ::: Uploaded on - 19/05/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 19/05/2026 20:52:03 ::: 502 to 509 511-512-WP-6572-2026 AND ORS..doc Petitioners have challenged Advertisement No.13/2026 dated 30th April 2026 issued by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission, to the limited extent that no relaxation in the upper age limit has been granted to candidates who have allegedly become overage on account of the administrative delay of nearly two years in conducting the Judicial Magistrate First Class Examination, 2024.
2. Dr. Uday Warunjikar, learned counsel appearing for the Petitioners, has advanced various submissions in support of the challenge. However, at this stage, he submits that without claiming any equities and while keeping all rights and contentions open, the Petitioners may at least be permitted to submit their applications and appear for the preliminary examination scheduled to be held on 2nd August 2026, subject to the outcome of the present Petitions.
3. On the other hand, Mr. S. S. Kanetkar, learned counsel appearing for the High Court through the Registrar General, opposes the grant of interim relief. He submits that the controversy involved in the present Petitions is governed by the decision of this Court in Sagar Patil v. State of Maharashtra (2024 SCC OnLine Bom 308). He further submits that reliance placed by Manisha 4/6 ::: Uploaded on - 19/05/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 19/05/2026 20:52:03 ::: 502 to 509 511-512-WP-6572-2026 AND ORS..doc the Petitioners on the order passed by the Co-ordinate Bench in Neha Pathak v. Maharashtra Public Service Commission (Writ Petition No.14907 of 2022) is misconceived, inasmuch as the intent and purpose sought to be achieved by the said order has been stayed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court by order dated 30th October 2025.
4. We have heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties and have perused the order dated 30th October 2025 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Pratikraj Rajendrakumar Hamad & Ors. v. Nikita Deepakrao More & Ors. (SLP (C) Nos.31431-31432 of 2025), as well as the subsequent order dated 26th February 2026 passed in Interim Application No.63987 of 2026 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. Prima facie, the interim relief presently sought by the Petitioners is substantially similar to the relief which had earlier been granted by this Court by order dated 7th October 2025 in the proceedings arising from the same controversy, albeit for a different year which is now pending in issue before the Hon'ble Supreme Court. At this interlocutory stage, and particularly in view of the interim orders passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court, we are not inclined to grant the interim reliefs as prayed for by the Petitioners. Manisha 5/6 ::: Uploaded on - 19/05/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 19/05/2026 20:52:03 :::
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5. List these matters on 22nd June 2026.
(SANDESH D. PATIL, J.) (GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J.) Manisha 6/6 ::: Uploaded on - 19/05/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 19/05/2026 20:52:03 :::