-: 1 :- IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 2496 OF 2011 Manoj Iswarlal Engineer of Heena Restaurant and Bar. ..Petitioner. Versus State of Maharashtra & Ors. ..Respondents. Mr. P. Kansarai for the petitioner. Mr. R. M. Patne, AGP for the State. Coram : RANJIT MORE, J. Date : March 24, 2011. P. C. : 1. Not on board. Mentioned for production pointing out urgency. Production was granted in view of urgency. Heard learned counsel for the respective parties. 2. Rule. By consent of parties, rule is made returnable forthwith and taken up for hearing. 3. By order dated 19/2/2011, respondent no.2 has suspended the Entertainment Licence [Police Licence] in respect of the petitioner’s establishment, namely, M/s. Heena Restaurant & Bar for the period of 7 days. However, the petitioner has been given 30 days period to appeal against the said order before the State of Maharashtra. 4. It is the allegation of the petitioner that his police licence was suspended without following the principles of natural justice. The srp -: 2 :- petitioner has challenged the said order by filing an appeal before on 18/3/2011 before Respondent no.4–Home Minister, Government of Maharashtra. He has also filed an application for stay in the said appeal. It is the grievance of the petitioner that despite filing of aforesaid appeal within time alongwith stay application, the concerned Minister has not taken up the matter since he is busy in assembly session. The 30 days period provided to file an appeal against the said order from the date of receipt of said order is expiring tomorrow and therefore though he has filed an appeal, his appeal is going to become infructuous 5. Mr. R. M. Patne, learned AGP submitted that without going into merits of the matter, the appellate authority, namely, the Home Minister, Government of Maharashtra can be directed to hear and dispose of the petitioner’s appeal expeditiously, protecting the petitioner’s interest till the decision on the said appeal. I also find that by giving such directions, the grievance of the petitioner will stand redressed. 6. In the circumstances, writ petition is disposed of by passing following order. -: O R D E R :- (i) The Home Minister, Government of Maharashtra is directed to hear and dispose of the petitioner’s appeal as well as stay application as expeditiously as possible and -: 3 :- preferably within the period of eight weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. (ii) During the pendency and till final disposal of petitioner’s appeal, the effect, operation and implementation of the order dated 19th February 2011 passed by respondent no. 2 in respect of petitioner’s establishment shall remain stayed. (iii) In the event of passing of order adverse to the petitioner’s interest, the same shall not be given effect for the period of two weeks from the date of communication of the same to the petitioner. 7. Rule is made absolute in the aforesaid terms. (RANJIT MORE, J.)