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Laxmi Sakharam Shinde Thr Poa Priyanka ... vs Chief Executive Officer, Nagar ...
2025 Latest Caselaw 9007 Bom

Citation : 2025 Latest Caselaw 9007 Bom
Judgement Date : 17 December, 2025

[Cites 9, Cited by 0]

Bombay High Court

Laxmi Sakharam Shinde Thr Poa Priyanka ... vs Chief Executive Officer, Nagar ... on 17 December, 2025

Author: N. J. Jamadar
Bench: N. J. Jamadar
2025:BHC-AS:55751
                                                                           -WP13214-2025+.DOC

                                                                                            Santosh

                              IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                             CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION


                                           WRIT PETITION NO. 13214 OF 2025

                       Pukharaji Rupaji Choudhari through POA
                       Rajesh Pukharaj Choudhari                   ...Petitioner
                                          Versus
                       Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
 SANTOSH
                       Mangaon, District Raigad                  ...Respondent
 SUBHASH                                           WITH
 KULKARNI
                                   WRIT PETITION NO. 13216 OF 2025
 Digitally signed by
 SANTOSH SUBHASH
 KULKARNI
 Date: 2025.12.17
 19:12:10 +0530        Surendra Singh Bhatiya through POA
                       Darshan Kaur Surendra Singh Bhatia          ...Petitioner
                                          Versus
                       Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
                       Mangaon, District Raigad                  ...Respondent
                                                   WITH
                                   WRIT PETITION NO. 13218 OF 2025

                       Jayawanti Narayan Shigawan through POA
                       Raghunath Ramchandra Dhondage               ...Petitioner
                                          Versus
                       Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
                       Mangaon, District Raigad                  ...Respondent
                                                   WITH
                                   WRIT PETITION NO. 13219 OF 2025

                       Laxmi Sakharam Shinde through POA
                       Priyanka Sakharam Shinde                    ...Petitioner
                                          Versus
                       Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
                       Mangaon, District Raigad                  ...Respondent
                                                   WITH
                                   WRIT PETITION NO. 13220 OF 2025

                       Dharamaraj Nandakai Kushawah                            ...Petitioner
                                          Versus
                       Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
                       Mangaon, District Raigad                            ...Respondent


                                                         1/22



                        ::: Uploaded on - 17/12/2025              ::: Downloaded on - 17/12/2025 21:11:23 :::
                                                     -WP13214-2025+.DOC

                              WITH
                 WRIT PETITION NO. 13222 OF 2025

Chandulal Motilal Gupta                     ...Petitioner
                   Versus
Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
Mangaon, District Raigad                  ...Respondent
                            WITH
            WRIT PETITION NO. 13224 OF 2025

Pramod Raju Atikandan through POA
Shivaji Balkrushna Mhaske                   ...Petitioner
                   Versus
Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
Mangaon, District Raigad                  ...Respondent
                            WITH
            WRIT PETITION NO. 13225 OF 2025
Sandip Anturam Verma                        ...Petitioner
                   Versus
Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
Mangaon, District Raigad                  ...Respondent
                            WITH
            WRIT PETITION NO. 13226 OF 2025

Suresh Dattaram Hujare                                  ...Petitioner
                   Versus
Chief Executive Officer, Nagar Panchayat
Mangaon, District Raigad                           ...Respondents

Mr. Anil Anturkar, Senior Advocate. a/w Mr. Roshan
      Pandhare i/by Mr. Atharva Date, for the Petitioner in
      all WP.
Mr. S. M. Gorwadkar, Senior Advocate a/w Mr. Sachin
     Pawar, Mr. Sujay Gangal and Mr. Devang Mhatre, for
     the Respondent in all WP.

                             CORAM: N. J. JAMADAR, J.
                        RESERVED ON: 14th OCTOBER, 2025
                      PRONOUNCED ON: 17th DECEMBER, 2025
JUDGMENT:

-

1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith and, with the

consent of the learned Counsel for the parties, heard finally.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

2. These petitions under Article 227 of the Constitution of

India assail the legality, propriety and correctness of the

judgment and order dated 12th September, 2025 in the Misc.

Civil Appeals, whereby the District Judge, Mangaon, District

Raigad, was persuaded to allow the appeals preferred by the

respondent - defendant Nagar Panchayat and thereby set aside

the orders passed by the learned Civil Judge, Mangaon, on 15 th

July, 2024 in the suits instituted by the petitioners - plaintiffs to

restrain the respondent - defendant from causing obstruction to

the possession and enjoyment of the suit stalls on the basis of

the notice dated 16th May, 2024, issued by the defendant.

3. In fact, this is the second round of litigation before this

Court. The impugned orders have been passed by the learned

District Judge, post remand of the appeals pursuant to the

order dated 18th June, 2025 passed in WP/3795/2025 and

connected petitions, by this Court.

4. As all these petitions arise out of identical facts and raise

common questions, all these petitions were heard together and

are being decided by this common judgment. The facts in

WP/13214/2025 are taken as a representative case.

4.1 The petitioner, like the petitioners in the rest of the

petitions, runs a stall since the year 1960, being Stall No.10

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

admeasuring 10 X 10 ft. under the name and style of 'Jay Ambe

Tobacco' at Mangaon ("the suit stall"). The petitioner claims the

land on which the suit stall is run was allotted to the petitioner

by the then Group Village Panchayat, Mangaon, the predecessor

of Mangaon Municipal Council, the defendant.

4.2 The petitioner has been carrying on the business in the

suit stall. Since the year 1960, the respondent has collected rent

as well as taxes from the petitioner. Receipts have been issued.

4.3 On 17th January, 2024, the respondent issued a notice to

the petitioner calling upon him to vacate the suit stall as the

suit stall was required to be demolished for the purpose of

construction of the new building for the Municipal Council. The

petitioner gave reply to the said notice on 18th January, 2024.

4.4 Apprehending highhanded action, the petitioner had

instituted a suit, being RCS/20/2024, assailing the legality and

validity of the said notice and to restrain the respondent from

acting on the basis of the said notice. In the said suit, on 26 th

February, 2025, an order of temporary injunction was passed by

the learned Civil Judge. The respondent preferred Misc. Civil

Appeal No.12/2024 before the District Court at Mangaon.

However, on 1st April, 2024, the said appeal was disposed of as

not pressed.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

4.5 The petitioner asserts, the respondent addressed second

notice on 16th May, 2024 alleging that the land covered by the

suit stall was allotted to the petitioner on temporary basis. The

petitioner had erected structure over the said land without

obtaining permission of the then village panchayat. The

petitioner has carried out unauthorized development and

encroachment. Secondly, there was no agreement between the

Municipal Council and the petitioner as envisaged by the

provisions contained in Section 92 of The Maharashtra

Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats And Industrial

Townships Act, 1965, ("the Act, 1965"). Thirdly, the suit stall

was within the control line of Mumbai-Goa National Highway

No.66. It was, therefore, necessary to remove the suit stall. The

petitioner was called upon to remove the structure and vacate

the suit stall within a period of 8 days lest the respondent would

initiate the action of removal.

4.6 The petitioner again instituted a suit being RCS/97/2024

assailing the legality and validity of the said notice and the

proposed action and sought declaration and consequential

injunctive relief. In the said suit, the petitioner filed an

application for temporary injunction.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

4.7 By an order dated 15th July, 2024, the learned Civil Judge,

Mangaon, was persuaded to grant temporary injunction and

thereby restrain the respondent Council from acting upon the

impugned notice dated 16th May, 2024 till the final decision of

the suit opining that a prima facie case was made out in favour

of the petitioner as the petitioner had been in the occupation of

the suit stall since the year 1960, the respondent Council has

accepted rent and taxes, the notice was vague on the aspect of

the extent of the alleged encroachment, and the fact as to

whether the petitioner was a tenant of the Municipal Council

warranted adjudication at the trial.

4.8 Being aggrieved, the respondent - defendant preferred an

appeal before the District Court. By the judgment and order

dated 20th February, 2025, the learned District Judge was

persuaded to allow the appeal primarily relying upon a map

placed on the record of the District Court by the respondent, to

show that the suit property fell within the control line from the

centre of the National Highway. The learned District Judge was

of the view that the fact that Municipal Council had accepted

the rent and taxes was of no significance. Since the

construction was unauthorized and illegal it was required to be

demolished. Support was sought to be drawn from the order

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

passed by the Division Bench of this Court on 22 nd April, 2019

in PIL/42/2015, whereby directions were given to take action of

removal of encroachment over the National Highway.

4.9 In the WP/3795/2025 and connected petitions, preferred

by the petitioners, assailing the aforesaid order passed by the

learned District Judge, this Court was persuaded to intervene

as the learned District Judge had allowed the application for

production of the map tendered on behalf of the defendant on

20th February, 2025, and, on the very day, allowed the appeals

primarily relying upon the said map without providing an

adequate opportunity to the petitioner to meet the case sought

to be set up by the defendant - respondent, before the Appellate

Court. Thus, the impugned order in each of those petitions was

quashed and set aside, the order of temporary injunction passed

by the trial Court stood restored and the appeals were remitted

back to the Court of the learned District Judge, Mangaon, for

fresh determination, after providing an opportunity to the

petitioners - plaintiffs to file an affidavit to deal with the map

tendered before the Appellate Court on 20th February, 2025.

4.10 The petitioners filed an additional affidavit on 14 th July,

2025 before the District Judge. After fresh appraisal of the

material on record and the submissions canvassed on behalf of

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

the defendants, by the impugned order, the learned District

Judge was again persuaded to allow the appeals preferred by

the defendants observing, inter alia, that the learned trial Judge

committed an error in laying emphasis on the factum of

occupation of the stalls by the petitioners without considering

the fact that the petitioners had no right to occupy the stalls,

which were within the proscribed limits of the control line of

Highway. In the view of the learned District Judge, the balance

of convenience was in favour of the defendants and general

public, which would be deprived of the right to use the National

Highway to the fullest.

5. Being aggrieved, the petitioners have again invoked the

writ jurisdiction.

6. I have heard Mr. Anturkar, the learned Senior Advocate for

the petitioners, and Mr. S. M. Gorwadkar, the learned Senior

Advocate for the respondent, at some length. With the

assistance of the learned Counsel for the parties, I have

perused the material on record.

7. Mr. Anturkar, the learned Senior Advocate for the

petitioners, would submit that though the learned District

Judge followed the letter of the remand order, yet, did not

adhere to the spirit thereof. The learned District Judge did not

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

appreciate the foundational objections taken by the petitioners

to the admissibility and reliability of the map, which indicates

that the suit structures are within the control line. It was

submitted that no material was placed before the learned

District Judge to show as to who has made the interpolation in

the map to show the control line in red. Though the learned

District Judge noted the inconsistency in the map, copy of

which has been duly furnished to the petitioners by the Deputy

Superintendent of Land Records, the learned District Judge

failed to fully appreciate the implications thereof. In the facts

and circumstances of the case, according to Mr. Anturkar,

reliance on the map was completely misplaced.

8. As a second limb of the submission, Mr. Anturkar would

urge, the learned District Judge downplayed the inconsistency

in the reasons ascribed by the officers of defendant No.1 - Nagar

Panchayat, in the two notices issued by the defendant - Nagar

Panchayat. The learned District Judge was in error in ignoring

the glaring inconsistency in the grounds on which the removal

of suit stall was sought, on the count that there was non-

compliance of the provisions contained in Section 92 of the

Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and

Industrial Townships Act, 1965 ("the Act, 1965"),

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

9. Lastly, Mr. Anturkar would urge that, there is an

overwhelming material to show that, the petitioners have been

in possession of the subject stalls since more than 50 years.

The petitioners have paid the ground rent to the defendant -

Nagar Panchayat. All the requisite licences are in place. In this

view of the matter, even if there is non-compliance of the

provisions contained in Section 92(3) of the Act, 1965, the

petitioners cannot be evicted from the suit stalls and deprived of

their livelihood, without following the due process of law. In the

least, the petitioners are the licencees, and in the absence of

termination of licence, the learned District Judge ought not to

have interfered with the exercise of discretionary jurisdiction by

the trial Court.

10. In opposition to this, Mr. Gorwadkar, the learned Senior

Advocate for the respondent - Nagar Panchyat, would urge that

the map in question was duly forwarded by the National

Highway Authority after making the necessary endorsement as

regards the structures within the control line. Therefore, the

endeavour on the part of the petitioners to draw a mileage by

pointing out some inconsistency in the earlier map and the map

which was tendered before the Appellate Court on 14 th February,

2025 can not be countenanced. Mr. Gorwadkar would urge that,

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

the specific case of respondent - defendant that, the subject

stalls were within the control line, as spelled out in the show

cause notice dated 6th May, 2024, was not at all controverted by

the petitioners. Taking the Court through the contents of the

reply to the said notice on behalf of the petitioners, it was

submitted that the fact that the subject stalls are within the

control line has not been disputed at all. In view thereof,

according to Mr. Gorwadkar, the learned District Judge, was

justified in correcting the error which the learned Civil Judge

had committed.

11. Mr. Gorwadkar would urge in the face of statutory

restrictions in the matter of allotment of the property of the

Nagar Panchayat beyond nine years, even on a lease, the mere

longstanding occupation of the petitioners was of no avail and,

thus, no prima facie case was made out. In any event, the

balance of convenience firmly tilts in favour of the defendant as

the suit stalls are obstructing the free flow of traffic on a

National Highway thereby causing grave prejudice to general

public. The petitioners cannot be permitted to perpetuate their

unlawful occupation to the prejudice of the members of the

public.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

12. As the learned District Judge has interfered with exercise

of discretion by the trial Court, at the outset, it may be

appropriate to keep in view the jurisdictional limits in an appeal

against the discretionary order, on the one part, and also

interference by this Court in exercise of the supervisory

jurisdiction with the order passed by the Court below, on the

other part.

13. An appeal against a discretionary order is an appeal on

principle. Ordinarily the Appellate Court is not expected to

interfere with exercise of discretion in the matter of grant of

injunction by the trial Court and substitute its own view for the

one taken by the trial Court, except in cases it could be

demonstrated that the discretion has been exercised arbitrarily

or perversely or the impugned order is contrary to the settled

principles of law.

14. In the case of Skyline Education Institute (India) Pvt. Ltd.

V/s. S.L.Vaswani and Anr.1, the Supreme Court after adverting

to the previous pronouncements, enunciated that once the

Court of first instance exercises its discretion to grant or refuse

to grant relief of temporary injunction and the said exercise of

discretion is based upon objective consideration of the material

1 (2010) 2 SCC 142.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

placed before the Court and is supported by cogent reasons, the

appellate court will be loath to interfere simply because on a de

novo consideration of the matter it is possible for the Appellate

Court to form a different opinion on the issues of prima facie

case, balance of convenience, irreparable injury and equity.

15. In exercise of supervisory jurisdiction, this Court is not

expected to re-evaluate, re-weigh and review the evidence/

material on the basis on which the Court/Tribunal below has

passed the impugned order. The High Court cannot act as an

Appellate Court would do. Nor can the High Court substitute its

view for the one taken by the Court below. The High Court can

legitimately intervene if the Court below has committed a

jurisdictional error or the impugned order suffers from patent

error of law or perversity which stares in the face.

16. The contours of writ jurisdiction were illuminatingly

postulated by a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in the

case of Rajendra Diwan vs. Pradeep Kumar Ranibala and

another2 as under:

"85. The power of superintendence conferred by Article 227 is, however, supervisory and not appellate. It is settled law that this power of judicial Superintendence must be exercised sparingly, to keep subordinate courts and tribunals within the limits of their authority. When a Tribunal has acted within its jurisdiction, the High Court does not interfere in exercise of its extraordinary writ jurisdiction unless there is grave miscarriage

2 (2019) 20 Supreme Court Cases 143.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

of justice or flagrant violation of law. Jurisdiction under Article 227 cannot be exercised "in the cloak of an appeal in disguise".

86. In exercise of its extraordinary power of superintendence and/or judicial review under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, the High Courts restrict interference to cases of patent error of law which go to the root of the decision; perversity; arbitrariness and/or unreasonableness; violation of principles of natural justice, lack of jurisdiction and usurpation of powers. The High Court does not re-assess or re-analyze the evidence and/or materials on record. Whether the High Court would exercise its writ jurisdiction to test a decision of the Rent Control Tribunal would depend on the facts and circumstances of the case. The writ jurisdiction of the High Court cannot be converted into an alternative appellate forum, just because there is no other provision of appeal in the eye of law."

17. In a case of the present nature, where the Appellate Court

has exercised the jurisdiction to correct the perceived error in

exercise of discretion by the trial Court, the inquiry by this

Court would be to assess whether there were circumstances

which justified the exercise of such appellate jurisdiction. If this

Court finds that there were circumstances which rendered the

exercise of appellate jurisdiction to correct the error in exercise

of discretionary jurisdiction by the trial Court, this Court would

not be justified in interfering with the order passed by the

Appellate Court, even if it were to take a different view of the

matter on merits.

18. To begin with, it is necessary to note that, the case with

which the petitioners approached the trial Court.

Incontrovertibly, the suit stalls abut Mumbai - Goa National

Highway. The plaintiffs claim that, the land underneath the

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

stalls was given on lease to the plaintiffs, and they have

regularly paid the ground rent, apart from the taxes and cess.

The plaintiffs have been running diverse businesses in the suit

stalls. Initially a notice was served on 17 th January, 2024 to

vacate the suit stalls purportedly to facilitate the construction of

a new Nagar Panchayat Building. In the second show cause

notice dated 16th May, 2024 the legality and validity of which

was impugned in the instant suit, it was alleged that, the action

was required to be taken in pursuance of the directions in

WP/42/2015 dated 22nd April, 2019 to remove the encroachment

and the suit stalls were within the control line of Mumbai - Goa

National Highway. In addition, it was contended that, the

demolition of the suit stalls was necessary as the new Nagar

Panchayat Building cannot be constructed without removing the

suit stalls.

19. It is the aforesaid inconsistency in pre-suit notices, the

longstanding possession of the plaintiffs and the question of the

applicability of the provisions contained in Section 92 of the Act,

1965 being debatable, weighed with the learned Civil Judge to

grant the temporary injunction.

20. Indeed, in the first notice dated 17th January, 2024, there

was no reference to the fact that, the suit stalls were within the

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

control line. The learned District Judge was of the view that the

aforesaid inconsistency, or for that matter, the omission on the

part of the officers of the defendant to mention the said fact,

was of no significance, if the controversy was viewed in the light

of the governing legal provisions and principles. Whether this

approach of the learned District Judge is justifiable?

21. Section 92 of the Act, 1965 reads as under:

"Section 92. (1) No Council shall transfer any of its immovable property without the sanction of the State Government. (2) A proposal of such transfer shall be accompanied by resolution of the Council passed at a meeting by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the total number of Councilors and shall in no way be inconsistent with the rules made in this behalf by the State Government.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), a Council may lease its immovable property for a period not exceeding three years, and the lessee shall not be allowed to make any permanent constructions on such immovable property. Such lease may be renewed by the Council beyond the period of three years. So, however, that the total period of any lease shall not exceed [nine years].

No such lease or any renewal thereof shall be granted unless supported by a resolution passed at a meeting of the Council. [92A. Subject to the rules, if any, made in this behalf, the Council may transfer any of its movable properties.]"

22. Evidently, there is a complete prohibition for transfer of

any immovable property by the Municipal Council without the

sanction of the State Government. A proposal to transfer the

Municipal property is required to be passed by a special

majority of not less than 2/3 of the total members of the

Council. Furthermore, such proposal cannot be in derogation of

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

the rules made by the State Government. Though sub-section

(3) of Section 92 empowers the Municipal Council to give its

property on lease for a term not exceeding three years, yet, the

lessee cannot be permitted to make any permanent construction

on such property. The maximum term of lease is statutorily

capped at nine years. A lease or renewal thereof can only be

granted by a resolution passed in the meeting of the Council.

23. The legislature has provided aforesaid safeguards being

alive to the risk of the Municipal properties being

indiscriminately transferred and allotted for reasons which may

not subserve larger public interest. The restrictions on transfer

of the immovable property and even lease thereof are meant to

ensure that the public trust, in which the properties are held by

the Municipal Council, is not betrayed to advance private

interest.

24. In the case of Municipal Council, Pusad vs. Kundanal

Mohanlal Jaiswal and ors.3, on which reliance was placed on

behalf of the defendant, the object of Section 92 and the

approach expected of the Court in interpreting and applying the

said provision was expounded as under:

"8. ..... It is apparent that their individual grievance cannot be compared with public injury and in absence of even a prima

3 2007 (3) All MR 86.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

facie right in their favour, they are not entitled to grant of temporary injunction. Insistence upon observance of "due procedure" by these respondents is totally unwarranted. Even if all plaint allegations are presumed to be true, the same fall short to make out any case of legal injury in their favour. The application of mind by Appellate court is unsustainable. Appellate court ought to have noticed that an action to be binding on body corporate like petitioner or to operate to the prejudice of general public must be stated and shown to be in accordance with provisions of Municipal Act. The Appellate Court was duty bound to notice this aspect and ought not to have confused possession only as conferring any legal right upon respondents. Resolution of Municipal Council or any of its members or its chief officer cannot make their action binding unless and until it is in accordance with provisions mentioned above. Procuring of some trading licence or no objection from Municipal Council, paying some charges to it towards such occupation of land does not create any legal relationship between Municipal Council and such person. Influential traders or businessmen may try to take undue advantage of their position by getting any orders or resolutions from such bodies and therefore only, legislature has circumscribed those powers by providing for appropriate measures by way of control. It is apparent that Appellate Court has exercised jurisdiction not available to it in the matter by protecting unauthorised and apparently illegal possession of respondents to the prejudice of public at large and has hampered the development work specified by Development Plan. It is further to be noticed that respondents after receipt of notice to remove encroachment from Municipal Council, till today got sufficient time to make alternate arrangements but then as already stated above the wish to prosper at the cost of general public which cannot be tolerated at all."

(emphasis supplied)

25. It is not the case of the plaintiffs that the alleged lease of

the land in favour of any of the plaintiffs was by a resolution

passed by the defendant Municipal Council or in conformity

with the provisions under Section 55 of the Maharashtra Village

Panchayats Act, 1959 when the land was initially allotted by

erstwhile Mangaon Village Panchayat, the precursor of the

defendant. Neither there is a Lease Deed nor any document was

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

placed on record to support the claim of the allotment of the

land to the plaintiffs as lessees. In this backdrop, the mere

payment of the ground rent or taxes or cess for the occupation

of the suit stalls would not prima facie legitimize the occupation

of the plaintiffs. Had lease been executed in favour of the

plaintiffs, in a best case scenario, they would have been entitled

to occupy the land for nine years, in the maximum. The

plaintiffs claim to be in possession for over 50 years.

26. Realising the difficulty in pursuing a case of the plaintiffs

being lessees in respect of the suit properties, Mr. Anturkar

would urge that, in the least, the plaintiffs have been in the

occupation of the suit stalls as licencees. Still, the defendant

cannot evict the plaintiffs without following the due process of

law. Even the licence has not been terminated, urged Mr.

Anturkar.

27. I am afraid the aforesaid submission advances the cause

of the plaintiffs. The statutory restrictions in the matter of

transfer of the Municipal property absolutely, or transfer of

interest therein by way of lease, cannot be permitted to be

circumvented by contending that the plaintiffs being the

lecencees are entitled to protect their possession till they are

dispossessed by following due process of law.

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

28. This takes me to the submission forcefully canvassed by

Mr. Anturkar that the map which was tendered before the

Appellate Court could not have been taken into account as there

is clear discrepancy in the endorsements on the said map and

the map that has been furnished to the plaintiffs by the Deputy

Superintendent, Land Records. Whether the suit stalls are

within the control line of Mumbai - Goa National Highway is a

matter which can only be adjudicated after the parties adduced

evidence. Thus, the learned District Judge committed an error

in law, in passing the impugned order on the basis of the map,

the genuineness and reliability of which is debatable.

29. At the first blush, the submission appears attractive.

However, there is material on record to indicate that the map in

question was forwarded to the Municipal Council by the

Executive Engineer, National Highways, Sub-Division, Mahad,

vide letter dated 14th February, 2025. It clearly records that,

the said Authority had indicated the Highway line and the

control line on the map prepared by the Deputy Superintendent,

Land Records. The Municipal Council was directed to take

steps to remove the structures which were within the control

line of the National Highway. This document singularly

demolishes the objection sought to be raised on behalf of the

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

plaintiffs in regard to the genuineness and the reliability of the

map.

30. As noted above, the suit stalls abut the National Highway.

Indisputably the National Highway runs through Mangaon

town; which initially had a village panchayat. Under the

Government Resolution dated 5th August, 2019, in exercise of

the power under Section 154 of the Maharashtra Regiional and

Town Planning Act, 1966, the State Government has fixed the

control line at 3 to 6 meters from the edge of the National

Highway. The control line shown in the map from the edge of

the National Highway is prima facie in pursuance of the said

directive.

31. In the light of the aforesaid material on record, the learned

District Judge was justified in interfering with the exercise of

the discretion by the trial Court. As the plaintiffs occupation of

the subject stalls is in the teeth of the statutory restrictions in

the matter of the transfer of the Municipal property and there is

incontrovertible material to show that the suit stalls abut the

National Highway and fall within the control line, the learned

District Judge correctly exercised the jurisdiction to interfere

with the discretionary order. Resultantly, in exercise of

-WP13214-2025+.DOC

supervisory jurisdiction, this Court does not find any justifiable

reason to interfere with the impugned orders.

32. The conspectus of the aforesaid consideration is that the

petitions deserve to be dismissed.

33. Hence, the following order:

:ORDER:

        (i)     The petitions stand dismissed.

        (ii)    Rule discharged.

                No costs.

                                             [N. J. JAMADAR, J.]









 

 
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