Harish Sadashiv Jadhav And Others v. The State Of Maharashtra Through Its Secretary And Others

2025:BHC-AUG:16203-DB -1IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY BENCH AT AURANGABAD 17 WRIT PETITION NO. 3572 OF 2025 SURESH BANSI PATEL AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. E. S. Murge Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. D. Ghayal 18 WRIT PETITION NO. 7294 OF 2025 DILIP SAMBHU SALVE AND OTHERS THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND OTHERS Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar 20 WRIT PETITION NO. 7434 OF 2025 SANDIP RAJARAM PATIL AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. K. U. Chaudhari & M. R. Suryawanshi Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar

-226 WRIT PETITION NO. 7255 OF 2025 RAJU DEVRAM KADAMBANDE AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. V. Hange 27 WRIT PETITION NO. 7262 OF 2025 SIDDHARTH NARAYAN SAMUDRE AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioner : Ms. Megha Y. Mali Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar 28 WRIT PETITION NO. 7263 OF 2025 JAHIRODDIN MOHIYODDIN SHAIKH AND OTHERS Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar 29 WRIT PETITION NO. 7264 OF 2025 VASANT RATILAL PATEL AND OTHERS

-3Advocate for the Petitioner : Ms. Megha Y. Mali Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar 30 WRIT PETITION NO. 7265 OF 2025 JAYWANT ATAMARAM GHARTE AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioner : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar 31 WRIT PETITION NO. 7267 OF 2025 DIPAK VYANKATRAO SHINDE AND OTHERS Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar 32 WRIT PETITION NO. 7268 OF 2025 MAHENDRA FAKIRA PATIL AND OTHERS

-4Advocate for the Petitioner : Ms. Megha Y. Mali Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. M. M. Nerlikar Advocate for the Respondents No. 6 and 8 : Mr. P. S. Patil 33 WRIT PETITION NO. 7270 OF 2025 MANOHAR JAYWANT SURYAWANSHI AND OTHERS Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. D. Ghayal 34 WRIT PETITION NO. 7271 OF 2025 ANIL MOHAN PATIL AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. P. Sonpawale 35 WRIT PETITION NO. 7272 OF 2025 AMBALAL BANSI CHAUDHARI AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. K. U. Chaudhari AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. V. M. Kagne

-536 WRIT PETITION NO. 7273 OF 2025 PRAKASH ISHWAR JOHARI AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. R. K. Ingole 37 WRIT PETITION NO. 7274 OF 2025 SHARAD RAMESH PATIL AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Saie. S. Joshi 38 WRIT PETITION NO. 7275 OF 2025 RAJSHRI MOHAN AHIRAO AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. N. B. Kamble

-639 WRIT PETITION NO. 7276 OF 2025 SHAMPRASAD BHAIDAS AAGALE AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. V. Hange 40 WRIT PETITION NO. 7277 OF 2025 HARISH SADASHIV JADHAV AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. D. Ghayal 41 WRIT PETITION NO. 7278 OF 2025 TARKESHWAR RAMAN PATEL AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. P. Sonpawale

-742 WRIT PETITION NO. 7279 OF 2025 RAHULDEV PUSHPENDRA PATHAK AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. V. M. Kagne 43 WRIT PETITION NO. 7280 OF 2025 CHETAN SURESH CHAUDHARI AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. R. K. Ingole 44 WRIT PETITION NO. 7281 OF 2025 VIJAY SHIVDAS PATIL AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Saie S. Joshi

-845 WRIT PETITION NO. 7282 OF 2025 SUDHAKAR BHIKA RAMOLE AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Neha B. Kamble 46 WRIT PETITION NO. 7283 OF 2025 VIDYANAND DAULATRAO PATIL AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. V. Hange Advocate for the Respondents No. 6 and 8 : Mr. P. S. Patil 47 WRIT PETITION NO. 7284 OF 2025 KANTILAL GOKUL PATIL AND OTHERS Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. D. Ghayal Advocate for the Respondents No. 6 and 8 : Mr. P. S. Patil

-948 WRIT PETITION NO. 7285 OF 2025 DEVENDRA GULABSING GIRASE AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. P. Sonpawale 49 WRIT PETITION NO. 7286 OF 2025 VASUDEV BRIJLAL CHAUDHARI AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. V. M. Kagne 50 WRIT PETITION NO. 7288 OF 2025 SAVITRI BASARA VALVI AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. R. K. Ingole 51 WRIT PETITION NO. 7289 OF 2025

-10MAHENDRA HIMMATSING GIRASE AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Saie S. Joshi 52 WRIT PETITION NO. 7290 OF 2025 TANAJI JAHAGYA PAWAR AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Neha B. Kamble 53 WRIT PETITION NO. 7291 OF 2025 KAPURCHAND DEVCHAND MARATHE AND OTHERS THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH TIS SECRETARY Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. V. Hange 54 WRIT PETITION NO. 7295 OF 2025 CHANDRAKANT RAMAN PATIL AND OTHERS

-11Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. D. Ghayal 55 WRIT PETITION NO. 7296 OF 2025 AMBALAL LAXMAN PATIL AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners: Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. P. Sonpawale 56 WRIT PETITION NO. 7297 OF 2025 RANJITSING MOHANSING RAJPUT AND OTHERS THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THROUGH TIS SECRETARY Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. V. M. Kagne 57 WRIT PETITION NO. 7298 OF 2025 MUKESH PRALHAD PATIL AND OTHERS

-12Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. R. K. Ingole 58 WRIT PETITION NO. 7312 OF 2025 ASHOK ROHIDAS SONAWANE AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Saie S. Joshi 59 WRIT PETITION NO. 7313 OF 2025 YOGESH NARAYAN PATIL AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Neha B. Kamble 60 WRIT PETITION NO. 7314 OF 2025 NILESH UTTAM PATIL AND OTHERS

-13AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. V. Hange 61 WRIT PETITION NO. 7315 OF 2025 ANIL MURALIDHAR PATEL AND OTHERS Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. D. Ghayal 62 WRIT PETITION NO. 7316 OF 2025 RAVSAHEB PUNA PATIL AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. P. Sonpawale 63 WRIT PETITION NO. 7418 OF 2025 GANESH SAHEBRAO PAWAR AND OTHERS

-14AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. V. M. Kagne 64 WRIT PETITION NO. 7419 OF 2025 RAJARAM ONKAR PATIL AND OTHERS AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. R. K. Ingole 68 WRIT PETITION NO. 7426 OF 2025 MINAKSHI PANKAJ BHADANE AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Ms. Saie. S. Joshi Advocate for the Respondents No. 6 and 8 : Mr. P. S. Patil 70 WRIT PETITION NO. 7430 OF 2025 MILIND PANDURANG BANKAR AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. V. Hange

-1571 WRIT PETITION NO. 7431 OF 2025 ASARAM PUNJU NAIK AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi Addl. GP for Respondents-State : Mr. S. D. Ghayal 73 WRIT PETITION NO. 7433 OF 2025 SONALI CHANDRASHEKAR SURYAVANSHI AND OTHERS Advocate for the Petitioners : Mr. M. R. Suryawanshi AGP for Respondents-State : Mr. V. M. Kagne CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE AND Y. G. KHOBRAGADE, JJ.

Dated : June 23, 2025 PER COURT :- 1.

In Writ Petition No. 7268 of 2025 (Sr. No. 32 on Board), leave to correct the description of Respondents No. 6 and 8. Correction be carried out forthwith.

-162.

In all these Petitions involving the identically placed petitioners, all the Petitioners have prayed for the extending / releasing of the benefits of the One Step Pay Scale (Eksthar) as per the Government Resolutions dated 06.08.2002 and 29.02.2024, since they were working in tribal / PESA / difficult areas for several years. 3.

We have considered the submissions of the learned Advocates for the respective sides and we have perused the series of orders passed by this Court in favour of similarly situated Petitioners, which have been annexed to the Petitions.

4.

In view of the above, we do not find any such circumstances, which would convince us to take a different view. 5.

The learned Advocates representing the respective parties in those cases (orders which have been annexed to the Petitions), have clearly stated that the order passed by this Court at the Principal Seat, in Writ Petition No. 8824 of 2021 (Hiralal Jagannath Bawa and others vs. The State of Maharashtra and others), dated 21.12.2021, is applicable to

-17all such cases.

6.

In view of the above, all these Writ Petitions are allowed in the following terms:- i.

The Respondent - Tribal Development / Zilla Parishad, shall scrutinize the records of these Petitioners and the places at which they are deployed for performing their duties, within a period of 30 days from today, considering the Government Resolution dated 29.02.2024.

ii.

The cases which have no legal impediment after verification, shall be cleared by the concerned Respondent and the salary benefits, to which the Petitioners are entitled to, in the light of the one- step pay-scale made available to the employees working in the Tribal and PESA areas, shall be paid to them along with arrears as well as their current salary, within a period of 30 days, thereafter.

iii.

After scrutiny, if the Petitioners, on the basis of their record, are found to be ineligible, the concerned Respondent, would issue notice to the Petitioners, so as to enable them to appear before the said authority and address it.

iv.

After such hearing, which shall be completed within 120 days, the concerned Respondent shall pass an appropriate order and grant benefits of one-step pay-scale to those candidates, who are found to be eligible.

v.

The Petitioners, who may suffer an adverse order after the

-18above stated exercise is completed, shall be at liberty to avail of a statutory remedy, as is permissible in law and in the light of the Government Resolution dated 29.02.2024 issued by the General Administration Department.

(Y. G. KHOBRAGADE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.) Omkar Joshi