The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has expressed strong displeasure over the failure to adhere to statutory timelines in a complaint seeking the removal of a sarpanch under the Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Act. A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode directed the Additional Divisional Commissioner of Amravati to decide the matter within two weeks, and asked the state Chief Secretary to consider action against officials responsible for the delay.
The petition was filed by Raju Waman Awhale, who had applied to the Additional Divisional Commissioner on November 12, 2024, seeking the removal of the sarpanch of Dublawel Gram Panchayat in Washim district under Section 39(1) of the Maharashtra Gram Panchayat Act, 1959. The law requires the CEO of the Zilla Parishad to complete an inquiry within a month and submit a report, after which the Additional Divisional Commissioner must decide within another month.
The court noted the inquiry report was submitted only in January 2026 — about 14 months later — and no decision followed for August 24. Advocate Pritesh Atkar represented the petitioner.
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