1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORIGINAL SIDE WRIT PETITION NO.234 OF 2010 Sunil Harishchandra Shetty .... Petitioner Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors. .... Respondents S/Shri P. Kawali i/b S.K. Pathare for the Petitioner. Ms I.M. Calcuttawala, AGP, for Respondent Nos.1 and 2. Shri G.D. Utangale i/b Utangale & Co. for Respondent Nos.3 and 4. CORAM: J.N. PATEL AND A.P. BHANGALE, JJ. DATED: MARCH 22, 2010 P.C: 1. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. This petition can be disposed of at the admission stage itself. 2. It is the case of the petitioner that the matter was placed before the High Power Committee (hereinafter called as the Committee ) but as his counsel could not appear before the Committee on 24-9-2009 in time as he 2 was busy in this Court and though a request was made to the Committee by the petitioner to keep back the matter to enable his Advocate to appear before it, the Committee did not accede to the request and proceeded to decide the appeal. 3. The learned counsel appearing for the respondents submits that if this Court directs the Committee, the Committee will hear the petitioner afresh in the matter. 4. Without going into the merits of the matter, we are of the view that the Committee ought to have given a fair opportunity to the petitioner while disposing of his appeal. It is expected of the Committee to follow the rules of natural justice while considering matters pending before it, particularly when the Committee is constituted by the State Government in order to deal with matters relating to slum re-development schemes and as it exercises quasi judicial powers in determining the issues between the parties, therefore, it has to be fair while dealing with the parties, and particularly accommodate Advocates. It was not proper for the Committee to dispose of the appeal of the petitioner in 3 the absence of his Advocate, particularly when there is nothing on the record to show that the petitioner or his Advocate were not diligent in conducting the matter before it. Therefore, we quash and set aside the impugned order and restore the appeal before the Committee with the direction that the Committee will proceed to hear the appeal afresh. The petition accordingly stands disposed of. 5. The petitioner to move the Committee along with a copy of this order. J.N. PATEL, J. A.P. BHANGALE, J.