Supreme Court - Daily Orders
Rahul Ramesh Wagh vs The State Of Maharashtra on 6 May, 2025
Author: Surya Kant
Bench: Surya Kant
1
ITEM NO.31 COURT NO.3 SECTION IX
S U P R E M E C O U R T O F I N D I A
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No(s).19756/2021
[Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated 22-10-2021
in WP No. 11744/2021 passed by the High Court of Judicature at
Bombay at Aurangabad]
RAHUL RAMESH WAGH Petitioner(s)
VERSUS
THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA & ORS. Respondent(s)
IA No. 145211/2022 - AMENDMENT OF APPEAL/PETITION/I.A.
IA No. 145208/2022 - AMENDMENT OF APPEAL/PETITION/I.A.
IA No. 161602/2021 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 23878/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 114988/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 243223/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 68407/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 243215/2023 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 111081/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS
IA No. 107960/2022 - CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION
IA No. 156051/2021 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING C/C OF THE IMPUGNED
JUDGMENT
IA No. 107961/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 156052/2021 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 19520/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 73438/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 243218/2023 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 107967/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 23879/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 134970/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 114696/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 243221/2023 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 112860/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 7458/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 111099/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 6134/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 243209/2023 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 28258/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 107957/2022 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT IA No. 68401/2022 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT Signature Not Verified IA No. 419/2022 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT Digitally signed by SATISH KUMAR YADAV Date: 2025.05.13 19:19:21 IST IA No. 8129/2022 - MODIFICATION OF COURT ORDER Reason:
IA No. 19518/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES IA No. 156048/2021 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES 2 IA No. 156049/2021 - PERMISSION TO PLACE ADDITIONAL FACTS AND GROUNDS IA No. 422/2022 - RECALLING THE COURTS ORDER IA No. 107965/2022 - RECALLING THE COURTS ORDER WITH W.P.(C) No. 1316/2021 (X) FOR ADMISSION IA No. 28202/2022 - AMENDMENT OF THE PETITION IA No. 44522/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS IA No. 157427/2021 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 44897/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 44523/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 1261/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 44895/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 157430/2021 - STAY APPLICATION T.C.(C) No. 25/2022 (III) T.C.(C) No. 26/2022 (III) T.C.(C) No. 29/2022 (III) T.C.(C) No. 28/2022 (III) T.C.(C) No. 27/2022 (III) T.C.(C) No. 30/2022 (III) T.C.(C) No. 31/2022 (III) MA 323/2022 in SLP(C) No. 20160/2021 (IX) FOR CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION ON IA 18311/2022 FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. ON IA 18313/2022 IA No. 18311/2022 - CLARIFICATION/DIRECTION IA No. 18313/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. W.P.(C) No. 141/2022 (X) IA No. 31332/2022 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT IA No. 30425/2022 - STAY APPLICATION W.P.(C) No. 184/2022 (X) FOR EX-PARTE STAY ON IA 39000/2022 IA No. 39000/2022 - EX-PARTE STAY W.P.(C) No. 238/2022 (X) FOR GRANT OF INTERIM RELIEF ON IA 49974/2022 FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT ON IA 49985/2022 FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. ON IA 60983/2022 FOR PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES ON IA 69012/2022 FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT ON IA 69013/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 92907/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 92911/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 93235/2022 IA No. 69013/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT IA No. 49985/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT IA No. 60983/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 49974/2022 - GRANT OF INTERIM RELIEF IA No. 92911/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 92907/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 69012/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES W.P.(C) No. 207/2022 (X) 3 FOR STAY APPLICATION ON IA 43322/2022 FOR APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION ON IA 49736/2022 FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. ON IA 60972/2022 FOR PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES ON IA 69654/2022 IA No. 49736/2022 - APPLICATION FOR PERMISSION IA No. 60972/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 69654/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES IA No. 43322/2022 - STAY APPLICATION W.P.(C) No. 250/2022 (X) FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. ON IA 60953/2022 FOR PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES ON IA 68623/2022 FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT ON IA 68626/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 69028/2022 FOR PERMISSION TO FILE AMENDED WRIT PETITION ON IA 169072/2022 IA No. 68626/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING AFFIDAVIT IA No. 60953/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 69028/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 68623/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES IA No. 169072/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE AMENDED WRIT PETITION W.P.(C) No. 278/2022 (X) FOR EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. ON IA 74532/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 74862/2022 FOR impleading party ON IA 75226/2022 FOR INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT ON IA 75226/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 76964/2022 FOR impleading party ON IA 77911/2022 FOR INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT ON IA 77911/2022 FOR APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS ON IA 77916/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 77992/2022 FOR INTERVENTION APPLICATION ON IA 126486/2022 FOR MODIFICATION OF COURT ORDER ON IA 127056/2022 IA No. 77916/2022 - APPROPRIATE ORDERS/DIRECTIONS IA No. 74532/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 76964/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 74862/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 126486/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 77992/2022 - INTERVENTION APPLICATION IA No. 77911/2022 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT IA No. 75226/2022 - INTERVENTION/IMPLEADMENT IA No. 127056/2022 - MODIFICATION OF COURT ORDER W.P.(C) No. 365/2022 (X) FOR STAY APPLICATION ON IA 73560/2022 FOR PERMISSION TO PLACE ADDITIONAL FACTS AND GROUNDS ON IA 169363/2022 IA No. 169363/2022 - PERMISSION TO PLACE ADDITIONAL FACTS AND GROUNDS IA No. 73560/2022 - STAY APPLICATION W.P.(C) No. 309/2022 (X) FOR STAY APPLICATION ON IA 65095/2022 4 IA No. 65095/2022 - STAY APPLICATION W.P.(C) No. 650/2022 (X) IA No. 137163/2022 - AMENDMENT IN CAUSE TITLE IA No. 126199/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 117238/2022 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. IA No. 126193/2022 - PERMISSION TO FILE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS/FACTS/ANNEXURES W.P.(C) No. 896/2022 (X) FOR ADMISSION.
W.P.(C) No. 1001/2022 (PIL-W) Diary No(s). 46401/2024 (PIL-W) FOR CONDONATION OF DELAY IN REFILING/CURING THE DEFECTS ON IA 271029/2024 IA No. 271029/2024 - CONDONATION OF DELAY IN REFILING/CURING THE DEFECTS W.P.(C) No. 33/2025 (X) FOR ADMISSION IA No. 14916/2025 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. W.P.(C) No. 29/2025 (PIL-W) FOR ADMISSION W.P.(C) No. 187/2025 (X) FOR ADMISSION IA No. 56262/2025 - EXEMPTION FROM FILING O.T. Date : 06-05-2025 These matters were called on for hearing today.
CORAM :
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NONGMEIKAPAM KOTISWAR SINGH For Petitioner(s) Mr. Shivam Singh, Adv.
Mr. Shubham Janghu, Adv.
Ms. Sheetal Patil, Adv.
Mr. Kailas Bajirao Autade, AOR Mr. Vatsalya Vigya, AOR Mr. Devanshu Yadav, Adv.
Ms. Anzu. K. Varkey, AOR Mr. Deepak Singh, Adv.
Mr. Makarand D.Adkar, Adv. Ms. Bharti Tyagi, AOR Mr. Rahul Joshi, AOR By Courts Motion Mr. Chandra Prakash, AOR Mr. Sattyendra Muley, Adv. Mr. Vaibhav Yeshwant Kulkarni, AOR 5 Ms. Palak Joshi, Adv.
Ms. Amruta Kulkarni, Adv.
Mr. Arvind Datar, Sr. Adv. Mr. Anil V Anturkar, Sr. Adv. Mr. Devdatt Palodkar, Adv. Mr. Abhay Anil Anturkar, Adv. Mr. Dhruv Tank, Adv.
Mr. Aditya Ajgaonkar, Adv. Mr. Aniruddha Awalgaonkar, Adv. Mr. Sarthak Mehrotra, Adv. Ms. Surbhi Kapoor, AOR Mr. Bhagwant Deshpande, Adv. Ms. Subhi Pastor, Adv.
Mr. Kailash Prashad Pandey, AOR M/S. Dr. R.r. Deshpande And Associates, AOR Mr. Abhay Anil Anturkar, Adv. Mr. Dhruv Tank, Adv.
Mr. Aniruddha Awalgaonkar, Adv.
Dr. Arvind S. Avhad, AOR Mr. Sushil Sonkar, Adv.
Mr. Ankur Gupta, Adv.
Mr. G.Ananda Selvam, Adv. Mr. Habib Muzaffar, Adv.
Mr. P.Y.Shankar, Adv.
Ms. Lakshmi Ramamurthy, AOR Mr. Shirish K. Deshpande, AOR Ms. Rucha Pravin Mandlik, Adv. Mr. Mohit Goutam, Adv.
Mr. Apoorv Sharma, Adv.
Mr. Rishi Didwania, Adv.
Mr. Ayush Choudhary, Adv. Mr. Kartik Yadav, Adv.
Mr. Gautam Awasthi, AOR Mr. Amol B. Karande, AOR Mr. Devdatt Palodkar, Adv. Mr. Shashibhushan P. Adgaonkar, AOR Mr. Anoop Raj, Adv.
For Respondent(s) Mr. Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General Mr. Shekhar Naphade, Sr. Adv. Mr. Siddharth Dharmadhikari, Adv. Mr. Aaditya Aniruddha Pande, AOR Mr. Bharat Bagla, Adv.6
Mr. Sourav Singh, Adv.
Mr. Aditya Krishna, Adv.
Mr. Adarsh Dubey, Adv.
Mr. Anand Dilip Landge, AOR Mr. Saurabh Mishra, Sr. Adv. Ms. Mrinal Gopal Elker, AOR Mrs. Aarushi Singh, Adv.
Mr. Kartik Seth, Adv.
Mr. Siddharth Seth, Adv.
Mr. Raghav Sharma, Adv.
Mr. Saurabh Chaturvedi, Adv. Mr. Manni Sethi, Adv.
For M/s Chambers Of Kartik Seth, AOR Ms. Bharti Tyagi, AOR Mr. Sanjay Kharde, Sr. Adv. Mr. Shivam Singh, Adv.
Mr. Satyajit Kharde, Adv. Mr. Shubham Janghu, Adv.
Mr. Sunny Jadhav, Adv.
Ms. Sheetal Patil, Adv.
Mr. Kailas Bajirao Autade, AOR Mr. Rajasaheb Patil, Adv. Ms. Supriya Wankhede, Adv. Mr. Raj Shekhar Sharma, Adv. Ms. Alpana Sharma, AOR Mr. Amrish Kumar, AOR Dr. Arvind S. Avhad, AOR Mr. Amol B. Karande, AOR Mr. Apoorv Shukla, AOR Mr. Abhay Anil Anturkar, Adv. Mr. Dhruv Tank, Adv.
Mr. Aniruddha Awalgaonkar, Adv. Mr. Bhagwant Deshpande, Adv. Ms. Subhi Pastor, Adv.
By M/S. Dr. R.R. Deshpande And Associates, AOR Mr. Sanjay Kharde, Sr. Adv. Mr. Shivam Singh, Adv.
Mr. Satyajit Kharde, Adv. Mr. Shubham Janghu, Adv.
Mr. Sunny Jadhav, Adv.
Ms. Sheetal Patil, Adv.
Mr. Kailas Bajirao Autade, AOR 7 Mr. Shashibhushan P. Adgaonkar, AOR Mr. Nishanth Patil, AOR Mr. Ranbir Singh Yadav, AOR Mr. Sanjay Kharde, Sr. Adv. Mr. Shivam Singh, Adv.
Mr. Satyajit Kharde, Adv. Mr. Shubham Janghu, Adv.
Mr. Sunny Jadhav, Adv.
Ms. Sheetal Patil, Adv.
Mr. Kailas Bajirao Autade, AOR M/S. Lambat & Legiteam, AOR Mr. Kishor Lambat, Adv.
Ms. Kashmira Lambat, Adv. Ms. Suja Joshi, Adv.
Mr. Shakul R.Ghatole, Adv. Ms. Jaikriti S. Jadeja, AOR Mr. Randhir Kumar Ojha, AOR Mr. Samrat Krishnarao Shinde, AOR Mr. Ravindra Sadanand Chingale, AOR Mr. Deepkaran Dalal, AOR Ms. Indira Jaising, Sr. Adv. Ms. Mehaak Jaggi, AOR Mr. Sadiq Ur Rehman, Adv.
Mr. Anant Prakash, AOR Mr. Vaibhav Gaggar, Sr. Adv. Mr. Arpit Gupta, AOR Mr. Somdev Tiwari, Adv.
Mr. Divya Pratap Parmar, Adv.
Mr. Shantanu Krishna, AOR Mr. Ankit Mishra, Adv.
Mr. Gunjesh Ranjan, Adv.
Mr. Anil, Adv.
Mr. Gopal Shankar Narayan, Sr. Adv. Dr. Vinod Kumar Tewari, AOR Mr. Pawan Kumar Shukla, Adv. Mr. Shaurya Dashupta, Adv. Mr. Madhav Gupta, Adv.
Mr. Pankaj Kumar Singh, Adv. Mr. Kamal Kumar Pandey, Adv.8
Mr. Amit Kumar Pandey, Adv.
Mr. Nikhil Jain, AOR Mr. Prashant Shrikant Kenjale, AOR Mr. B. Dhananjay Balaji, Adv.
Mr. Anilendra Pandey, AOR Ms. Priya Kashyap, Adv.
Mr. Raj Ranjay Singh, Adv.
Mr. Sattyendra Muley, Adv. Mr. Vaibhav Yeshwant Kulkarni, AOR Ms. Palak Joshi, Adv.
Ms. Amruta Kulkarni, Adv.
UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following O R D E R
1. The core issue that falls for consideration in this batch of Special Leave Petition(s)/Writ Petitions/Transferred Cases revolves around the reservation for Other Backward Classes (hereinafter referred to as `OBCs’) in the State of Maharashtra for the purpose of elections to the local bodies.
2. There have been reservations provided to different OBC communities through legislative enactment(s), on the basis of which the elections were earlier held from time to time. On 11.03.2022, the State of Maharashtra, constituted a dedicated 7-member Commission under the chairmanship of Mr. Jayant Kumar Banthia, IAS (Retd.), former Chief Secretary of Maharashtra (hereinafter referred to as `the Banthia Commission’). The Banthia Commission was tasked with collecting empirical data on the OBCs, to help inform their reservation in local body elections. It subsequently submitted its Report on 07.07.2022 and its recommendations form the subject of challenge in these appeals. Besides that Report, various issues like: (i) setting up of a Dedicated Commission to conduct 9 enquiry into the nature and implications of political backwardness for the composition of local bodies in the State; (ii) number of reserved seats in each local body on the basis of recommendations of the aforesaid Commission; and (iii) whether such reservations can exceed the aggregate of 50% etc., have arisen for consideration in these proceedings.
3. Learned Senior Counsel/counsel for the parties are ad-
idem that consequent to the pendency of these proceedings, elections to the local bodies have not been held for the last several years.
4. We have considered their submissions in this regard. It seems to us that the constitutional mandate of democracy at the grass-root level and its enforcement through periodical elections of the local bodies ought to be respected and ensured. Since the elected bodies have a fixed term, no irreversible loss will be caused to those who are seeking appropriate amendment(s) in the existing laws for inclusion or exclusion of certain OBC communities. All those issues will, of course, be considered in due course of time. In the interregnum, we see no reason as to why the elections of the local bodies not be held in the State of Maharashtra because of the pendency of these proceedings.
5. Consequently, subject to the outcome of these proceedings and without prejudice to the issues raised on behalf of the rival parties, we deem it appropriate to issue the following directions to the State of Maharashtra/ State Election Commission:
(i) The elections to the local bodies shall be notified by the State Election Commission within four 10 weeks;
(ii) The reservation shall be provided to the OBC communities as per the law as it existed in the State of Maharashtra prior to the 2022 Report of the Banthia Commission;
(iii) An endeavour shall be made to conclude the elections within a period of four months. However, the State Election Commission shall be at liberty to seek extension of time in appropriate cases; and
(iv) The Elections shall be held subject to the outcome of these proceedings.
6. Post these matters for hearing on 16.09.2025.
(SATISH KUMAR YADAV) (PREETHI T.C.) ADDITIONAL REGISTRAR ASSISTANT REGISTRAR