wp1976­11.doc 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.1976 OF 2011 Ram Govind Vikhape & Ors. .. Petitioners Versus State of Maharashtra & Ors. .. Respondents Mr.Swapnil A. Waradkar for petitioners Mr.R.M.Patne, AGP for respondent Nos. 1 and 2 CORAM : S.C.DHARMADHIKARI, J. DATE : 13th July 2011. P.C.: 1] The petitioner is aggrieved by an ex parte interim stay granted by the Minister of Revenue, Government of Maharashtra on 6th October 2010 in R.T.S. No.291 – Proceeding No.67/L/6. It is stated that this is some sort of an appeal / revision preferred to challenge the order of the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division dated 8th September 2009. The Divisional Commissioner allowed the appeal preferred by the petitioners before me and set aside the order wp1976­11.doc 2 dated 3rd January 2008 of the Additional Collector, Ratnagiri. Aggrieved and dis-satisfied with this order the third respondent before me preferred the aforementioned proceedings before the State Government. The State Government took up the matter and the Minister was pleased to grant ex parte and ad- interim stay. 2] Upon a query from the Court as to whether the main proceedings have been disposed of or not, Mr.Patne, learned AGP was unable to give any positive answer. It is unfortunate that the applications are entertained by the State Government in a manner in which the present proceedings have been allowed to be instituted and entertained. If the Government thinks it fit to exercise its powers and provide some interim protection it should exercise due care and caution that if circumstances warrant making of ad-interim ex parte order, an endeavour should be made to hear the affected parties before either confirmation of the ad-interim order or making an interim order. Further, it should endeavour to dispose of the main wp1976­11.doc 3 proceedings expeditiously. 3] In the instant case, there is no justification for not concluding the main proceedings. For all these reasons, this petition is disposed of with direction to State Government to dispose of the pending application, if not already disposed of, within a period of eight weeks from today. All contentions on merits of the controversy are kept open. No opinion is expressed thereon. No costs. (S.C.DHARMADHIKARI, J)