1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO. 5291 OF 2009 Beed Zilla Banjara Samaj Vikas Mandal, Majalgaon, Tq. Majalgaon, District Beed, through its President Baliram s/o Honaji Rathod, Age 57 years, r/o Baliram Niwas, Jai Bhavani nagar, Near N-4, Cidco, Aurangabad ..PETITIONER VERSUS 1. The State of Maharashtra, through its Secretary, Social Welfare and Special Aid Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai 2. The State Minister, Social Welfare and Special Aid Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai ..RESPONDENTS Mr G.D. Kale, Advocate for the petitioner; Mr N.N. Jadhav, A.G.P. for respondents. CORAM : P.V. HARDAS AND A.V. POTDAR, JJ DATE : 25th August 2009 2 ORAL JUDGMENT [ PER P.V.HARDAS , J ] 1. Rule. Rule returnable forthwith. With the consent of learned Counsel for the parties these petitions are heard finally at the stage of admission. 2. We have heard Shri Kale, learned Counsel for the petitioner and Shri N.N. Jadhav, learned A.G.P. who accepts notice on behalf of respondents no.1 & 2. 3. By this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India the petitioner prays for directing respondent no.2 to decide the appeal which is pending consideration since 2000. In the light of the limited relief which the petitioner has sought for in this petition, we deem it appropriate to decide this petition finally at this stage. 4. We need not advert to the facts of the case as it would suffice to state that the appeal filed by the petitioner some time in the year 2000 is said to be pending consideration before respondent no.2. Since practically about 8-1/2 years have elapsed since the filing of the appeal, we deem it appropriate to direct respondent no.2 to decide the said appeal expeditiously. 3 5. Accordingly, we allow this petition and direct respondent no.2 to decide the pending appeal filed by the petitioner as expeditiously as possible and in no case later than 31.12.2009. 6. Rule is made absolute on the above terms with no order as to costs. ( A.V.POTDAR ) ( P.V.HARDAS ) JUDGE JUDGE amj/wp5291.09 4