Parties: BHASKAR GOVIND GAVATE (NOW DECEASED) THROUGH HIS FAMILY VERSUS THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA
Lawyer: SUMITA RAY
Judges: MR. JUSTICE PAMIDIGHANTAM SRI NARASIMHA, MR. JUSTICE ATUL S. CHANDURKAR
Decision By: MR. JUSTICE ATUL S. CHANDURKAR
Case Number: 8206/2022
Summary: The Supreme Court has canceled an earlier decision about a land dispute in Thane, Maharashtra, and asked the High Court to look at the case again.
In 1992, Bhaskar Govind Gavate asked the court to finish the process of acquiring 12 acres of land in Village Chinchavali, Thane. This was supposed to be resolved by a court decision in 2003, but things didn't go as expected.
On January 17, 2003, the High Court of Bombay ordered that the land should be given to Gavate’s family. The person in charge of acquiring the land was supposed to make sure this happened by January 22, 2003. However, the family said this never happened, so they filed a complaint.
"The person in charge of acquiring the land was told to hand over the land... We note the statement... that this would be done by 22.01.2003."
The family filed a complaint in 2003, saying that the land was never given to them. The High Court dismissed this complaint in February 2022, saying the order from 2003 was unclear and could be understood in two different ways.
On December 4, 2025, the Supreme Court, led by Justice Atul S. Chandurkar and Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, looked at the case again. They found that the High Court should have taken a closer look at the original claims and evidence. The Supreme Court noted that the 2003 order clearly directed that the land should be handed over.
"The judges should have examined the matter... There is a clear and straightforward order given..."
The Supreme Court has sent the case back to the High Court for a fresh review. They want the High Court to take another look at the evidence and consider the original claims more thoroughly.
