Smt Prajakta Manoj Vibhute v. Regional Joint Director, Higher Education ,Kolhapur Region, Kolhapur And ORS

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIRCUIT BENCH AT KOLHAPUR CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 14175 OF 2022 Digitally signed by UDAY SHIVAJI JAGTAP Date:

2025.12.09 20:07:27 +0530 Prajakta Manoj Vibhute ... Petitioner UDAY SHIVAJI JAGTAP

Versus

Regional Joint Director, Higher Education, Kolhapur Region, Kolhapur & Ors.

... Respondents .............

Mr. Padmanabh D. Pise a/w Prathamesh Patil for the Petitioner. Mr. A.P. Vanarase, AGP for the Respondent - State. .............

Coram : M. S. Karnik & Ajit B. Kadethankar, JJ.

Date : December 08, 2025.

P. C. :

1.

Heard learned counsel for the petitioner.

2.

Learned AGP appears for respondent Nos. 1, 3 and 4. 3.

Learned AGP requested for time to seek instructions. However, considering the nature of the controversy involved, we do not ind it necessary to grant time to the learned AGP for taking instructions. 4.

Learned counsel for the petitioner invited our attention to page No.19 of the paper book, which is a communication dated 18th 1 of

December 2009 addressed by the Senior Accounts Oicer/PR-3 to the Regional Joint Director, Higher Education, Kolhapur Region, Kolhapur. We do appreciate that the petition is belatedly iled. The petitioner's husband was working as a professor (English) in respondent No.2 - Arts and Commerce College, Vaduj, Tal. Khatav, Dist. Satara. The petitioner's husband met with an accident which resulted in his death on 18th October 2001.

5.

Respondent No.2 submitted a proposal to the respondent No.3 for grant of pension to the petitioner. After receipt of the proposal, the respondent No.3 issued a letter to the respondent No.1 informing the objections and requested to resubmit the same after compliance of the objections. The communication dated 18th December 2019 should have been attended to forthwith by respondent No.1 for considering the claim for grant of pensionary beneits in respect of the petitioner who lost her husband in an accident.

6.

We, therefore, do not propose to keep the petition pending. The Regional Joint Director, Higher Education, Kolhapur Region, Kolhapur is directed to forthwith act on the communication dated 18th December 2019 and process the pension papers by curing / explaining the objections which are mentioned at Sr. No.1 of the said communication. The pension case of the petitioner be processed by the respondent 2 of

No.1 within a period of 4 weeks from the date of communication of this order. Learned counsel for the petitioner assures that the copy of this order will be placed before the respondent No.1 on or before 15th December 2025.

7.

We keep the liberty of the petitioner open to claim interest on the delayed payment of pension. The respondent No.1 is accordingly directed to process the pension papers within the aforesaid period, without fail. Deiciencies, if any, communicated by the respondent No.1 shall be cured by the management forthwith. Delay or defaults on the part of the respondents in complying with these directions shall be viewed seriously.

8.

The petition is disposed of.

9.

List on 27th January 2026 under the caption "For compliance". [Ajit B. Kadethankar, J. ] [ M. S. Karnik ] 3 of