1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MUMBAI CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.9782 OF 2009 Ispat Industries Ltd. and Anr. .. Petitioners. Vs. Group Gram Panchayat, Karav & Ors. .. Respondents. Mr.P.K.Dhakepalkar, Sr.Advocate with Mr.S.K.Srivastav and Ms.Manorama Mohanty for the petitioner. Mr.Rajesh More for respondent nos.1 to 3. Ms.P.S.Cardozo A.G.P. for respondent no.5. CORAM : D.B. BHOSALE, J. DATED : 23RD NOVEMBER, 2009 P.C. . Heard learned counsel for the parties. 2. This writ petition challenges a resolution bearing No.190 dated 4.6.2009 passed by the Panchayat Samiti, Pen, in its meeting held on 4.6.2009 and the notice dated 13.11.2009 alongwith the minutes of meeting of the group Gram Panchayat held on 21.10.2009. The resolution of the Panchayat Samiti was passed on the appeal filed by the petitioners under section 124(5) of the Bombay Village Panchayats Act, 1958 (for short “the Act”) bearing Appeal No.5 of 2009. The 2 petitioners have challenged all these orders/resolutions in second appeal under section 124(5) of the Act filed before the Standing Committee, Zilla Parishad, Alibag, District Raigad. The petitioners have also challenged the demand notice dated 16.3.2008 in the second appeal. The second appeal is pending before the Standing Committee. Pending hearing and final disposal of the second appeal the petitioners on 17.11.2009 filed application and prayed for stay of recovery of Rs.3,00,84,933/-. According to the petitioners their application has not been considered by the standing committee so far. Having considered overall facts and circumstances of the case and considering that the second appeal, filed by the petitioners, is pending before the standing committee, I am satisfied that the following order shall meet the ends of justice: (a) The standing committee shall hear and decide the second appeal as expeditiously as possible and preferrably within a period of 16 weeks from the date of receipt of this order. (b) The petitioners are directed to furnish bank guarantee of any Nationalised bank of an amount of Rs.3 crores within a period of four weeks from today. Till the second appeal is decided by the standing committee, the Gram Panchayat shall not take coercive steps against the petitioners. If the order passed by the standing committee is adverse to the 3 petitioners, the Zilla Parishad shall not enforce the bank guarantee for a period of 15 days from the date of communication of the order. The petitioners shall keep the bank guarantee alive till the disposal of the second appeal and for further period of one month from the date of communication of the order passed by the standing committee. With these observations the writ petition is disposed of. (D. B. Bhosale, J.)