POONAM BHARAT KUDALE vs THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA THR. MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ORS

Judgment text excerpt

WP 12667-25.DOC IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 12667 OF 2025 Sau. Poonam Bharat Kudale, Age: 31 Yrs. Occp: Business, R/o. Hiware, Tal. Purandar, Dist. Pune. ...Petitioner Versus 1. The State of Maharashtra, Through Minister of Rural Development, Mantralaya, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 2. Divisional Commissioner, Pune Division, Pune. 3. Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Pune. 4. Block Development Officer, Panchayat Samittee, Purandar. 5. Ramdas Dattatray Kudale 6. Sagar Shivaji Kudale, Res. 5 and 6 residing at Hiware, Tal. Purandar, Dist. Pune. …Respondents _____________________ ___ _________ Ms. Kirthika i/by Mr. Pratik Deshmukh, for the Petitioner. Smt. Vaishali Nimbalkar, AGP for the Respondent Nos. 1 and 2 - State. Mr. Pandurang Gaikwad (Patil), for Respondent Nos. 3 and 4. Mr. Drupad Patil i/by Mr. Namit Pansare, for Respondent Nos. 5 and 6. _____________________________________ CORAM : N. J. JAMADAR, J. RESERVED ON : 23rd DECEMBER 2025 PRONOUNCED ON : 25th FEBRUARY 2026 SAINATH, PA 1/31 WP 12667-25.DOC JUDGMENT: 1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith, and, with the consent of learned Counsel for the parties, heard finally. 2. By this petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India the petitioner assails the legality, propriety and correctness of an order dated 19th August, 2025 passed by the Minister, Rural Development and Panchayatraj, Government of Maharashtra in Appeal No. VPM-2025/प्र. क्र. 07/2025, whereby the appeal preferred by the Respondents No. 5 and 6 – the Up-Sarpanch and Member of Village Panchayat – Hiware, against an order passed by the Divisional Commissioner, Pune removing the respondents from the post of Sarpanch and Member of the Village Panchayat in exercise of the power under Se