Public Information Officer And Registrar v. Rahul J. Kadtare And ANR

HARSHADA H. SAWANT (P.A.) IN IN THE THE HIGH HIGH COURT COURT OF OF JUDICATURE JUDICATURE AT AT BOMBAY BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.799 OF 2024 Public Information Officer and Registrar .. Petitioner

Versus

Rahul J. Kadtare and Anr.

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

 Mr. Rahul Nerlekar, Advocate for Petitioner.

...................

CORAM

: MILIND N. JADHAV, J.

DATE : APRIL 03, 2024 P.C.

:

1.

Mentioned. Not on Board. Taken on Board.

2.

Heard Mr. Nerlekar, learned Advocate for Petitioner. 3.

Perused the praecipe dated 03.04.2024 and the Writ Petition.

4.

He has drawn my attention to previous orders passed by the Division Bench of this Court namely order dated 18.03.2021 and 18.11.2021, my order dated 31.01.2024 in Writ Petition No.686 of 2024 followed by order dated 06.02.2024 in Writ Petition No.16509 of 2023. By virtue of these orders, ad-interim relief has been granted by the Court in respect of the very same cause of action. 5.

Mr. Nerlekar would submit that a fresh Writ Petition is filed which is numbered as Writ Petition No.799 of 2024 on the Appellate

Side. The State Information Commissioner has passed an order dated 14.03.2024, inter alia, directing to produce the entire information with respect to cut off and final marks of recruitment process of Junior Clerks within a time bound programme.

6.

The present Writ Petition seeks challenge to the said order dated 14.03.2024. In view of the previous orders passed by this Court in a series of Petitions, inter alia, with respect to the same cause of action, it is directed that order dated 14.03.2024 be stayed. 7.

In view of the above, ad-interim relief is granted in terms of prayer clause (C) of the present Writ Petition. 8.

Respondent No.1 is present in-person. He states that he is contract worker. He says that he would like to enagage an Advocate through legal aid. In the first place, whether Respondent No.1 would be entitled to legal aid or not is a big question. Legal aid is not meant for people like Respondent No.1 who are themselves earning. There are certain norms and principles laid down for entitlement of legal aid. 9.

Hence Respondent No.1 is directed to appoint an Advocate to represent him. He waives service of the Writ Petition. He says copy of Writ Petition has been served on him. Affidavit-in-Reply shall be filed by Respondent No.1 within a period of one week from today. 10.

It is clarified that this Writ Petition shall be taken up for

hearing and disposed of at the stage of admission itself. 11.

Stand over to 17th April, 2024 at 02.30 p.m.

H. H. SAWANT [ MILIND N. JADHAV, J. ] by HARSHADA HANUMANT SAWANT Date: 2024.04.03 15:46:49 +0530 HARSHADA HANUMANT SAWANT