Suresh Shripati Lakal v. The State Of Maharasthra Through Its Secretary
2025:BHC-AUG:35159-DB {1}
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE OF BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD 4 CONT. PETITION NO. 583 OF 2025 Suresh Shripati Lakal ....Petitioner
VERSUS
The State Of Maharasthra & Others .....Respondents .....
Mr. P.A. Kulkarni, Advocate for the Petitioner Ms. Neha Kamble, AGP for State Mr. H.P. Jadhav, Advocate for respondents No. 4 and 5 AND 5 CONT. PETITION NO. 584 OF 2025 Sanjay Shivram Ghule & Another ....Petitioners
VERSUS
The State Of Maharashtra & Others .....Respondents .....
Mr. P.A. Kulkarni, Advocate for the Petitioner Mr. N.D. Batule, AGP for State Mr. H.P. Jadhav, Advocate for respondents No. 4 and 5 .......
CORAM : NITIN B. SURYAWANSHI AND VAISHALI PATIL JADHAV, JJ.
DATE : 08th DECEMBER, 2025 ORDER :
1.
In similarly situated ambulance drivers cases', on 25.11.2025, this Court at Principal Seat has passed the following order :- "1. All these Contempt Petitions have been filed for the fourth time. This sounds quite weird and unusual, though true. The learned
{2} Advocate for the Petitioners submits that these Petitions had to be filed for the fourth time under the provisions of the Contempt of Courts Act because, on each occasion, some officer from the State Government representing the concerned Department with authority to make a statement, had stated in the Court that the amounts would be disbursed within particular timelines. 2.
We quite see the plight of these Petitioners. It is only that the Petitioners were gracious to permit the disposal of the Contempt Petitions, each time a responsible officer of the State Government made a statement in the Court of disbursing the amounts, as ordered by the Writ Bench, within a timeline. Had these Petitioners insisted on taking the contempt proceedings to a logical end, we would have been required to take the cases to their logical conclusions.
3.
Today, in this fourth round of contempt proceedings, Dr.Saraf, the learned Advocate General has addressed us, on instructions from certain officials of the department including Mr. E. Ravendiran, Secretary, who is present in the Court hall. The learned Advocate General draws our attention to the disbursement made to various Zilla Parishads in view of the directions of the Writ Court which are set out hereunder, for ready reference: Head 2210 5041 10-Contractual Services Grant Distribution till 13-Nov-2025 Dist Amt in lac AHILYANAGAR 216.68 AMRAVATI 223.18 BEED 301.05 BULDHANA 77.77 CHANDRAPUR 246.82 DHARASHIV 122.65 DHULE 258.05 GADCHIROLI 1021.78 JALGAON 9.88 JALNA KOLHAPUR
{3} LATUR 151.09 NAGPUR 162.5 NANDED 59.5 NASHIK 548.99 PALGHAR 739.7 PUNE 750.03 RAIGAD 213.57 RATNAGIRI 197.33 SANGLI SATARA 457.3 SINDHUDURG 173.14 SOLAPUR 159.99 THANE 189.3 WARDHA 148.5 WASHIM 75.8 YAVATMAL Grand Total 7123.6 4.
He, therefore, submits that it is on account of the nondisbursement or partial disbursement of the amounts to these Petitioners by the Zilla Parishads/District Surgeons, that the Contempt Petitions have been filed 5.
He further submits that the Principal Secretary would order each of the CEOs/District Civil Surgeons of the concerned Zilla Parishads/Districts, within 7 days, to disburse the amounts which are already delivered to the Zilla Parishads. Approximately Rs.71,23,00,000/- and odd has been disbursed to these Zilla Parishads. He submits that an ultimatum would be given to the CEOs/District Civil Surgeons to ensure that the amounts would be disbursed to the Petitioners and similarly situated employees who have received orders from the Writ Court, within 15 days from today. He is instructed to say that this timeline would not be missed.
6.
Insofar as the residual amount yet to be disbursed to the Zilla Parishads, the learned Advocate General is under
{4} instructions to say that such amounts would be disbursed within 45 days from today with a direction to the respective CEOs/District Civil Surgeons of the Zilla Parishads/Districts, to disburse the said amounts within 15 days, to the Petitioners and similarly situated beneficiaries of the orders of the Writ Bench. 7.
In view of the above statements, the learned Advocate for the Petitioners submits that as the Petitioners are not interested in seeking orders of conviction in Contempt of Court proceedings and are Class IV employees who are more concerned about receiving fruits of litigation, the Contempt Petitions be disposed off, albeit, the matters be placed before this Court for recording compliance.
8.
In view of the above, these Contempt Petitions are disposed off.
9.
List these disposed off Contempt Petitions on 27th February, 2026 for recording compliance."
2.
The petitioners' contempt petitions are squarely covered by the above said order. Learned advocate for Zilla Parishad states that arrears of salary as well as Dearness Allowance will be paid to the petitioners within four weeks from today.
3.
By recording said statement as undertaking to this Court, contempt petitions are disposed of.
4.
Needless to state that the respondents shall continue to pay minimum pay scale as admissible to the ambulance drivers including dearness allowance.
{5} 5.
List these disposed off Contempt Petitions on 26th February, 2026 for recording compliance.
(VAISHALI PATIL JADHAV, J.) (NITIN B. SURYAWANSHI, J.)