IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION Writ Petition No. 685 of 1994 Piraji Appa Patil and others .. Petitioners. V/s. State of Maharashtra and others .. Respondents. Mr. A.N. Jakhadi for the Petitioners. Ms. S.M. Dandekar, AGP. for the Respondent Nos. 1 to 3. Mr. V.E. Parera for the Respondent No. 4. CORAM : S. RADHAKRISHNAN & CORAM : S. RADHAKRISHNAN & CORAM : S. RADHAKRISHNAN & S.J. VAZIFDAR, JJ. S.J. VAZIFDAR, JJ. S.J. VAZIFDAR, JJ. DATED : 20.09.2004. DATED : 20.09.2004. DATED : 20.09.2004. P.C.:- P.C.:- P.C.:- 1. Heard the learned counsel for the Petitioners, the learned Assistant Government Pleader for the Respondent Nos. 1 to 3 and the learned counsel appearing for the Respondent No. 4. There are serious disputes as to whether the area wherein the Petitioners are residing should be declared as a slum or not. Without going into the merits and demerits of the rival claims, we direct the Respondent No. 3 Collector (E & C) and Controller of Slums, Bombay Suburban District, Bombay to decide the issue whether the said area should be declared as a slum or not under the Maharashtra Slum Area (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971 after affording a fair opportunity of hearing to the representatives on behalf of the Om Siddhi Vinayak Sahkari Estate, being the Petitioner Society, as well as the Respondent Nos. 4 and 5. This exercise shall be completed by the Respondent No. 3 as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of twelve weeks from today. The Petition stands disposed of in the above terms. (S. RADHAKRISHNAN, J.) (S. RADHAKRISHNAN, J.) (S. RADHAKRISHNAN, J.) (S.J. VAZIFDAR, J.) (S.J. VAZIFDAR, J.) (S.J. VAZIFDAR, J.)