All India Reporter Office At Meadows House Nagindas Master Road, Fort Mumbai v. The Post Master General Nagpur Region Nagpur Maharashtra And Others

2025:BHC-NAG:5896-DB 11-A-1866-17,1867-17.odt 1/2

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.

WRIT PETITION NO.1866 OF 2017 WITH WRIT PETITION NO.1867 OF 2017 All India Reporter Pvt. Ltd. Fort, Mumbai and Congress Nagar, Nagpur vs.

The Post Master General, Nagpur Region, Nagpur and ors. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Office notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's orders Court's or Judge's Orders.

or directions and Registrar's orders.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shri H. S. Chitale, Advocate h/f Shri A. C. Dharmadhikari, Advocate for petitioner.

Shri S. A. Choudhary, Advocate for respondents. CORAM : NITIN W. SAMBRE AND SACHIN S. DESHMUKH, JJ. DATE : June 23, 2025 P. C.

1.

Heard.

2. Challenge in these writ petitions is to the demand raised by the respondents against the petitioner to the tune of Rs.1,24,42,716/- and Rs.2,23,69,974/- respectively.

3.

It is brought to our notice that said demand was raised against the petitioners as a license for subsidised rates issued for posting of 500 copies per month vide letter dated 03/12/2014 which was valid till December 2017.

4.

Pursuant to the objection by the Audit Inspection party, as the petitioners were not holding RNI certificate, the aforesaid penalty came to be imposed.

5.

In Writ Petition Nos.1864/2017 and 1865/2017, it is informed by the respondent No.1 therein in their affidavit that the issue about

11-A-1866-17,1867-17.odt 2/2 issuance of registration/RNI certificate in favour of the petitioners for the period referred in the demand notice is under actual consideration pursuant to the orders passed by this Court in those writ petitions.

6.

In this backdrop, we deem it appropriate to direct the respondents not to take any coercive steps against the petitioners unless and until the District Magistrate/Competent Authority deals and decide the issue of grant of RNI certificate in favour of the petitioner.

7.

Let the District Magistrate/Competent Authority complete such formalities within a period of four months from today. The petitioner undertakes to extend all possible assistance for deciding the issue of issuance of RNI certificate in favour of the petitioner.

8.

The Competent Authority i.e. respondent No.1 shall within four months from today decide the issue of RNA certificate in the present matter so also in Writ Petition Nos.1864/2017 and 1865/2017.

9.

In view of aforesaid, the writ petition is disposed of with liberty to the petitioner to approach afresh in case if any contingency arises. No costs.

(Sachin S. Deshmukh, J.) (Nitin W. Sambre, J.) Asmita