1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.5243 OF 2009 WITH CIVIL APPLICATION NO.1636 OF 2009 Shri Suresh Ganpati Halwankar .... Petitioners & ors. Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Ors. .... Respondents WITH WRIT PETITION NO.5316 OF 2009 WITH CIVIL APPLICATION NO.1635 OF 2009 Shri Jaywantrao Ganpatrao Layker .... Petitioners & Ors. Vs. The State of Maharashtra & Ors. .... Respondents Mr.Vineet Naik a/w Sandesh Patil i/by P.P. Jadhav for Petitioners. Mr.Vinay Masurkar Govt.Pleader a/w Mr.U.S. Gokhale, AGP for respondent no. 1. Mr.A.A. Kumbhakoni a/w Ms. T.S. Ingale for respondent no.2. Mr.K.K. Singhivi a/w Ms. M.L. Patil for Intervenor. Coram : S.B. MHASE & R.M. SAVANT,JJ. Date : 13th August, 2009 P.C. 1. Heard learned counsel for some time. The learned counsel for the petitioners on instructions states that he may be allowed to withdraw both the petitions with liberty to approach this 2 Court, if the occasion arises after the final order is passed. The petitions are allowed to be withdrawn with such a liberty. The intervention applications are allowed. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioners also submits that in case the decision taken by the respondents is adverse to the petitioners, they may be protected for a period of two weeks. Mr.Singhvi, learned senior counsel for the Intervenor submits that the protection of one week may be granted. The question to grant protection whether for one week or two weeks is a marginal question. In the facts of the present case, we deem it appropriate to grant protection to the petitioners to the effect that the order should not be implemented for a period of two weeks from the date of service on the petitioners. The respondents shall serve the order forthwith after it is passed. 3. Mr.Singhvi prays that the authorities may be directed to dispose of the pending proceedings expeditiously. The petitioners have no objection for such enquiry being conducted as expeditiously as possible. The parties are hereby directed to appear before the authority on 21st August, 2009 at 11.00 a.m. The Officer conducting enquiry should make himself available to the parties at 11.00 am. In the event it is not possible to conduct the enquiry on that day i.e. 21st August 2009, he may give a convenient date to the parties. In any case the enquiry shall 3 be disposed of within a period of three weeks from the first appearance from the parties before the officer concerned i.e. three weeks from 21st August 2009. If the enquiry officer is required to proceed for election duties, he shall keep in mind that he has to complete the enquiry before proceeding for election duties. 4. All the contentions of all the parties are kept open for being urged before the enquiry officer. In the light of the aforesaid directions, the above Writ Petitions to stand disposed of. 5. In view of disposal of the Writ Petitions, the Civil Applications do not survive, the same are accordingly disposed of. ( S.B. Mhase, J.) (R.M. Savant, J.)