Summary: In an important decision, the Bombay High Court has protected the tenants of Rakhmabai Mhatre Chawl in Mulund, Mumbai, from being forced to leave their homes. The court found the Municipal Corporation's actions unjustified and done with bad intentions.
On March 15, 2025, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai sent notices to several tenants of Rakhmabai Mhatre Chawl. These notices claimed the tenants' homes were not legally approved and demanded they fix the situation.
The tenants, including Manik Gajanan Thakur and others, responded to the notices on March 27, 2025. They argued that their homes had existed since before 1962, supported by documents like ration cards, tax bills, and electricity bills dating back to the 1980s.
Judge Milind N. Jadhav heard the case. On December 1, 2025, the court ordered the Municipal Corporation not to take any forceful action against the tenants. The judge noted that the tenants had provided strong evidence of living there for a long time.
"It is clear that the previous landlord... has sold the larger property along with the tenants' rights to stay there, including the Plaintiffs."
The tenants claimed the eviction notices were pushed by the current landlord, who was eager to redevelop the valuable property. The original landlords, the Mhatre family, had transferred the tenants' rights to the new owners in 2013.
On January 5, 2026, the court decided in favor of the tenants. The judge criticized the Municipal Corporation for its unclear and insufficient notices and declared them unsustainable. The court canceled the temporary orders from May 19, 2025, protecting the tenants' homes until the lawsuit is resolved.
"The action of the Corporation... is clearly a misuse of power and done with bad intentions."
The court ruled that the tenants could not be forced out based on the notices given, as they were not justified. This decision is a significant win for the tenants, emphasizing the need for fair treatment and consideration of long-term residence in property disputes.
