The Bombay High Court recently made a decision on January 5, 2026, supporting tenants in a long-standing argument with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. The case is about supposed unauthorized buildings in the Rakhmabai Mhatre Chawl, Mulund (East).
The argument started when the Municipal Corporation sent out warnings on March 15, 2025, under a law about city planning. These warnings said that the tenants had buildings that weren't allowed. The tenants, including Rajkumar Gamandas Ramchandani, fought back against these warnings.
The tenants said that their buildings have been there since before 1962. They showed different documents, like ration cards from 1987 and property tax bills from 1988, to prove they've lived there for a long time.
"The existence of the Appellants is confirmed as long-standing tenants of Rakhmabai Chawl," noted the court.
Justice Milind N. Jadhav found the Corporation's actions questionable. The warnings were unclear, without specific details about the supposed unauthorized buildings. The court noted that the buildings had been recognized by the Corporation for decades, collecting taxes and providing services.
The tenants said that the current landlord, who bought the property in 2013, was behind the Corporation's actions. The landlord had tried similar actions in 2016, which didn't work.
The court canceled the temporary orders from May 19, 2025, protecting the tenants from any forceful actions by the Corporation. Justice Jadhav stressed that the tenants' rights should not be harmed because of redevelopment interests.
"The impugned action of the Corporation is a clearly colorable and malafide exercise of power," stated the judgment.
The court decided in favor of the tenants, ensuring they can continue living in their homes without fear of being forced out until the legal proceedings are finished.
