High Court Allows Writ Petition for Approval of Peon Appointment in Private School, Overturns Education Officer's Rejection Based on Procedural Issues and Ban

Sub Category: Bombay High Court Bench: KOLHAPUR
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Case Note & Summary

The petitioners, including a school management and an appointed peon, filed a writ petition challenging the Education Officer's rejection of approval for the peon's appointment -- The appointment was made in 2014 after the Education Officer failed to respond to the school's application for permission -- The rejection was based on a post-appointment ban, non-submission of documents, and staffing pattern changes -- The High Court framed three points for consideration, ruling that the ban does not apply retrospectively, the Education Officer's inaction does not invalidate the appointment, and policy transitions do not affect valid appointments -- The Court allowed the petition, directing approval of the appointment, and set aside the impugned order

Headnote

The High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Circuit Bench at Kolhapur, allowed Writ Petition No.6812 of 2024, directing the Education Officer to approve the appointment of petitioner no.3 as Peon -- The Court held that the ban imposed by Government Resolution post-appointment does not invalidate the approval proposal -- The Education Officer's failure to respond to the school's application does not vitiate the appointment made following requisite procedure without fraud -- Changes in staffing patterns during policy transition do not affect appointments made validly -- The appointment was made in 2014 for a Scheduled Caste reserved post, and the proposal rejection in 2022 was set aside -- The Court emphasized compliance with the Maharashtra Employees of Private Schools (Conditions of Service) Rules Act, 1981

Issue of Consideration: The Issue of consideration mentioned in the Judgement is whether the Education Officer's rejection of the appointment approval proposal was justified based on the ban and procedural lapses

Final Decision

The High Court allowed the Writ Petition, set aside the impugned order dated 27.10.2022, and directed the Education Officer to approve the appointment of petitioner no.3 as Peon with all consequential benefits

2026 LawText (BOM) (02) 46

Writ Petition No.6812 of 2024

2026-02-02

R. G. Avachat J. , Ajit B. Kadethankar J.

2026:BHC-KOL:802-DB

Mr.Prashant Bhavake J. , Ms.T.J.Kapre J.

Vikas Shikshan Mandal, Savarde (Budruk), Tq. Kagal, Dist. Kolhapur Through its President/Secretary, Shri. Mahalaxmi Girl’s High School, Savarde Budruk, Tq. Kagal, Dist. Kolhapur, Through its Head Master, Shri Premkumar Dattatray Kamble

The State of Maharashtra, Through the Secretary, School Education and Sports Department, Mantralaya, Mumbai- 400 032, The Commissioner of Education, School Education Department, Maharashtra State, Pune, The Director of Education, (Secondary and Higher Secondary), Maharashtra State, Pune-1, The Deputy Director of Education, Kolhapur Region, Kolhapur, Having office at Somwar Peth, Hatti Mahal, Ganji Galli, Kolhapur – 416 002, The Education Officer (Secondary), Zilla parishad, Kolhapur, Having its Office at Zilla parishad Building, Kolhapur

Nature of Litigation: Writ Petition challenging the rejection of approval for appointment of a peon in a private school

Remedy Sought

Petitioners seeking court direction to approve the appointment of petitioner no.3 as Peon

Filing Reason

Education Officer rejected the approval proposal based on ban, non-submission of documents, and staffing pattern issues

Previous Decisions

Writ Petition No.9852 of 2022 was disposed of on 22.08.2022, directing the Education Officer to decide within six months; the impugned order dated 27.10.2022 rejected the proposal

Issues

Whether ban imposed by the Government Resolution post subject-matter appointments would invalidate the approval proposal? Whether in the peculiar circumstances if education officer merely sits on the application, an appointment if made by following the requisite procedure and without any element of fraud, misrepresentation of facts, or manipulation of record, would be vitiated for want of No Objection from the Education Officer? Changes in the staffing patterns in the private schools, effects of the Government Resolution dated 23.10.2013, 12.02.2015, 28.01.2019, and 12.12.2020, and fate of the appointments made during the transition of the policies on staffing patterns.

Submissions/Arguments

Petitioner argued that the appointment was made after following due procedure and the Education Officer's inaction should not vitiate it Respondents contended rejection based on ban and procedural lapses

Ratio Decidendi

Post-appointment ban does not invalidate approval, Education Officer's inaction does not vitiate appointment if procedure followed without fraud, Policy transitions in staffing patterns do not affect validly made appointments

Judgment Excerpts

The Court held that the ban imposed by the Government Resolution post subject-matter appointments would not invalidate the approval proposal The Court held that an appointment made by following the requisite procedure without fraud would not be vitiated for want of No Objection from the Education Officer The Court held that changes in staffing patterns during policy transition do not affect appointments made validly

Procedural History

School applied for permission on 01.07.2014, published advertisement on 11.08.2014, appointed petitioner on 31.08.2014, proposal rejected on 27.10.2022, previous Writ Petition No.9852 of 2022 disposed of on 22.08.2022, current Writ Petition filed in 2024

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