Krantikari Sureksha Rakshak Sanghatana v. Steel Authority Of India Ltd And ORS
Digitally signed by GAURI AMIT GAEKWAD Date:
2026.02.04 11:42:36 +0530 GAURI AMIT GAEKWAD
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
(916) INTERIM APPLICATION NO.38333 OF 2025 IN WRIT PETITION NO.6434 OF 2025 Steel Authority of India Ltd.
....Applicant
IN THE MATTER BETWEEN :
Steel Authority of India Ltd. & Anr.
....Petitioners
Versus
The State of Maharashtra & Ors.
....Respondents WITH
(502) INTERIM APPLICATION NO.38335 OF 2025 IN WRIT PETITION NO.6434 OF 2025 Krantikari Suraksha Rakshak Sanghatana ....Applicant
IN THE MATTER BETWEEN :
Steel Authority of India Ltd. & Anr.
....Petitioners
Versus
The State of Maharashtra & Ors.
....Respondents ---- Mr. C.R. Naidu a/w. Advocate B.K. Barve, Ms. Simmy Sebastian and Ms. Dhanesha Shingote i/b. B.K. Barve and Co. for the Applicant in IA/38333/2025 and for the Petitioners in the Petitions. Ms. Jane Cox a/w. Mr. Vinayak Suthar i/b. Mr. Ghanshyam Thombare for the Applicant in IA/38335/2025.
Mr. P.P. Kakade, Addl. GP a/w. Ms. Priyanka Chavan, AGP for the Respondent - State.
Mr. Sanjay P. Shinde for Respondent Nos.2 and 3. ----
CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE & ASHWIN D. BHOBE, JJ.
DATE : 19th DECEMBER, 2025 P.C. :- 1.
We have heard the learned Advocates for the respective sides.
2.
Interim Application No.38335 of 2025, is not on board. By consent of the parties, taken on the production board. 3.
By consent of the parties, the said Interim Application is allowed.
4.
The Applicant Union would be added as a Respondent in the pending Writ Petition, forthwith. Re-verification is dispensed with.
5.
Insofar as Interim Application No.38333 of 2025 is concerned, the learned Advocate for the Applicant/Original
Petitioners submits that Petitioner No.1 would deposit Rs.24 lakhs in this Court on or before 10th January 2026, and the remaining amount would be deposited within 15 days thereafter. 6.
In view of the above, we direct that the impugned notice dated 19th September 2025, along with the notice dated 24th October 2025, issued by the Tehsildar, would stand stayed on the condition that Petitioner No.1 would deposit Rs.24 lakhs with the Security Guard Board on or before 10th January, 2026. It would be the responsibility of the Security Guard Board to apportion and disburse the said amount of Rs.24 lakhs towards the unpaid salaries of the Security Guards at issue before us. Those Security Guards who are desirous of withdrawing their shares, shall do so within 30 days from today. In the event any of the Security Guards do not withdraw their shares from the amounts deposited, the Security Guard Board shall deposit the remainder amount in this Court which shall be invested by the Registry in a Fixed Deposit with a nationalised bank, initially for a period of one year.
7.
The balance amount shall be deposited in this Court on or before 27th January, 2026. Registry shall invest the said amount in a Fixed Deposit with a nationalised bank, initially for a period of 1 year.
8.
The apportionment of the amount by the Board to the Security Guards at issue, in proportion to their dues, would be subject to the result of this Petition.
9.
The Board shall refrain from initiating coercive steps against Petitioner No.1, with regard to the issue/cause of action in the Petition.
10.
The learned Advocate for the Board submits that the Security Guards who were already deployed with Petitioner No.1, were unemployed. Those Security Guards who have consented, have been deployed elsewhere, without prejudice to their rights in the Petition, to ensure that they do not suffer starvation. It is further submitted that, if the remaining Security Guards also extend their consent, efforts will be made, subject to availability of vacancies, to
deploy them at suitable places.
11.
We direct that since the Security Guards at issue were already in employment, they can be deployed on priority, considering their seniority, as and where vacancies arise. This would be without prejudice to their rights, which are the subject matter of the Writ Petition.
12.
List this Petition on 28th January, 2026, to be called out after the fresh admissions board is over.
13.
The parties shall note that on the next date, if time permits, this Petition would be heard finally at the admission stage. (ASHWIN D. BHOBE, J.) (RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, J.)