1 lgc IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.4373 OF 2009 Maruti Padoba Phalane & ors. : Petitioners versus The State of Maharashtra & ors. : Respondents. Mr.A V Anturkar a/w Mr S B Deshmukh for the Petitioners. Mr P P Kakade, AGP, for the Respondent Nos.1 to 3. CORAM : S B MHASE & R M SAVANT, JJ. DATE : 14th August 2009 P.C. 1. By the above Petition, the shopkeepers, who are in possession of the Government lands, have approached this Court challenging the escalation in the licence amount, which according to them, is unreasonable. Since there is a licence agreement between the parties, it is in the realm of contract and as per the contract, escalation has been carried out. We do not find any reason to interfere with this aspect in our writ jurisdiction. 2. So far as the other grievance that the period mentioned in the license i.e. from 1/10/2008 to 31/08/2009 has been granted by the Respondents by order dated 23/03/2009, and therefore, the period of 11 2 months, according to the Petitioners, should be calculated from the date of the order i.e. 23/03/2009 and not as mentioned in the order i.e. up to 31/08/2009. It is an admitted fact that the Petitioners are in possession of the property and at no point of time they were dispossessed by the Respondents. They have also carried out business for the period covered by the said order. Only the issuance of the order is belated. It therefore cannot be said that the Petitioners are prejudiced in any manner.. So no extension can be granted to the Petitioners . By way of abundant caution we direct the Respondents that henceforth they shall issue license within reasonable time. If the present license period comes to an end, within fifteen days thereof the Respondents shall take decision to renew license in favour of the Petitioners on such terms and conditions as they deem fit. Subject to the aforesaid, we do not find any merit in the Petition which is accordingly rejected. [R.M.SAVANT, J] [S.B.MHASE, J]