1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO.5491 OF 2010 Radhakrushna Anna Bankar, Age 27 years, Occu.Photography, R/o At Post Ellora, Tq.Khultabad, District Aurangabad .. PETITIONER VERSUS 1. Union of India, Through its Secretary, Minister of Education Social Welfare & Culture, New Delhi, Through Standing Counsel, High Court, Aurangabad 2. The Superintendent, Archaeological Survey of India, Bibika Mukabara, Aurangabad 3 The Grade – I.C.A., Archaeological Survey of India, Ellora Caves, Taluka Khultabad, District Aurangabad 4. The Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, Janpath Marg, New Delhi .. RESPONDENTS Mr.P.A.Kulkarni, Advocate for petitioner Mr.Alok Sharma, Assistant Solicitor General for respondents CORAM : P.V. HARDAS AND N.D. DESHPANDE, JJ DATE : 24th June, 2010 2 ORAL JUDGMENT ( PER P.V.HARDAS, J. ) 1. Rule. Rule returnable forthwith. With the consent of learned Counsel for the parties, this petition is heard finally at the stage of admission. 2. By this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India the petitioner prays that writ may be issued directing respondent No.2 to issue licence for photography at the centrally protected monuments. The petitioner also prays for deciding his application submitted on 31.10.2007 for issuance of the licence for photography. In the light of the fact that the application is pending consideration, according to us the relief prayed for by the petitioner for issuance of a writ directing the respondents to grant licence to the petitioner is a premature prayer. We, accordingly, are not inclined to grant the aforesaid prayer on the ground that it is a premature relief. However, since the application of the petitioner, submitted on 31.10.2007 is pending consideration with the respondents, we allow this petition by directing the respondents to decide the said application, within four weeks from today and communicate the decision thereon to the petitioner. 3. Rule made absolute in above terms with no order as to costs. 3 4. Copy of this order duly authenticated by the Court Sheristedar of this Court be provided to learned Counsel for the parties to act upon. ( N.D.DESHPANDE ) ( P.V.HARDAS ) JUDGE JUDGE (vvr/5491.10wp)