Sunanda Wd/O. Bhaskar Mahajan v. Mahadeo Natthuji Mahajan And Another

2025:BHC-NAG:787

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY,

NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.

NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.

WRIT PETITION NO. 6472/2024 WRIT PETITION NO. 6472/2024 Sunanda Wd/o Bhaskar Mahajan Sunanda Wd/o Bhaskar Mahajan, , Aged about 32 years, Occ. Business, Aged about 32 years, Occ. Business, R/o. Samta Nagar, Ayyappa Mandir Road, R/o. Samta Nagar, Ayyappa Mandir Road, Near Naaz Plaza, Urja Nagar, Near Naaz Plaza, Urja Nagar, District Chandrapur District Chandrapur ....

.... PETITIONER(S) PETITIONER(S) // // VERSUS // VERSUS // (1) (1) Mahadeo Natthuji Mahajan Mahadeo Natthuji Mahajan, Aged about 70 years, Occ. Retired, Aged about 70 years, Occ. Retired, R/o. Samta Nagar, Ayyapaa Mandir Road, R/o. Samta Nagar, Ayyapaa Mandir Road, Near Naaz Plaza, Urja Nagar, District Chandrapur Near Naaz Plaza, Urja Nagar, District Chandrapur (2) (2) Police Station Inspector Police Station Inspector, , Durgapur, having Police Station Durgapur, having Police Station at Durgapur at Durgapur ....

.... RESPONDENT(S) RESPONDENT(S) ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ Shri P. Ranade, Advocate for the Petitioner(s) Shri P. Ranade, Advocate for the Petitioner(s) Shri V.R. Borkar, Advocate for the Respondent No. 1 Shri V.R. Borkar, Advocate for the Respondent No. 1 Shri B.M. Lonare, AGP Shri B.M. Lonare, AGP for the Respondent/State for the Respondent/State ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ CORAM : M.S. JAWALKAR, J.

CORAM : M.S. JAWALKAR, J.

JANUARY 22, 2025 JANUARY 22, 2025 ORAL JUDGMENT ORAL JUDGMENT :-:- (1) RULE. Rule made returnable forthwith. Heard finally by consent of learned Counsel for the respective parties.

(2) The Petitioner herein, who is the daughter-in-law of the Respondent No. 1, has challenged the order dated 14/08/2024 passed by the Chairman, Senior Citizens Maintenance Tribunal cum Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Chandrapur (hereinafter referred to as "the Tribunal") in Misc. Case No. 01/2024 on the ground that no opportunity was granted to lead evidence in view of Section 6 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and Rule 13 of the Maharashtra Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2010.

(3) Learned Counsel for the Petitioner relied on the judgment of this Court in Criminal Writ Petition No. 779/2022 (Sanjay S/o Krushnaji Sakdeo vs. Krushnaji S/o Sitaram Sakdeo & another), so also relied on the provisions of Section 6 of the said Act and Rule 13 of the said Rules.

(4) After going through the provisions of Section 6 of the said Act and Rule 13 of the said Rules, it appears that the Enquiry Officer/Tribunal has to grant opportunity to both the parties in support of their claims, as he has to undertake summary

Proceedings. This mandatory provision cannot be deviated unless and until there is a specific mention in the Order-sheet/Roznama that there is no such need to record the evidence or that the parties, despite granting them an opportunity to lead the evidence, have chosen not to lead the evidence. On perusal of the Roznama as well as the impugned order, it is not reflected that any such procedure is followed as mandated in Section 6 of the said Act and Rule 13 of the said Rules.

(5) Hence, I proceed to pass following order:-

O R D E R

(a) The Writ Petition is allowed.

(b) The impugned order dated 14/08/2024 passed by the Chairman, Senior Citizens Maintenance Tribunal cum Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Chandrapur in Misc. Case No. 01/2024 is hereby quashed and set aside.

(c) The matter is remanded back to the learned Tribunal for deciding it afresh after granting opportunity to both the parties to lead evidence in support of their claims.

(d) The parties to appear before the learned Tribunal on 29/01/2025.

(e) The learned Presiding Officer, Tribunal is hereby directed to dispose of the Application as early as possible, preferably within a period of three months from today. The Petition stands disposed of in the above terms. Pending Application(s), if any, stand(s) disposed of. (M.S. JAWALKAR, J.) (M.S. JAWALKAR, J.) Signed by: A.P. ANSARI Designation: PS To Honourable Judge Date: 24/01/2025 18:30:46