Bombay HC Restores Elected Trustees – Quashes Administrator Order in Shani Shingnapur Trust
Judgment dated 12.12.2025 of the Division Bench of the High Court of Bombay Bench at Aurangabad, in Writ Petition No.12208 of 2025 of Shri Bhagwat Sopan Bankar and others Vs. The State of Maharashtra and others with connected matters
Bombay HC Restores Elected Trustees – Quashes Administrator Order in Shani Shingnapur Trust
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The petitioners are the elected Trustees of Shanaishwar Devasthan Trust at Shingnapur from 1.1.2021 to 31.12.2025.
Shree Shanaishwar Devasthan Trust (Shingnapur) Act, 2018. However, the said Act was brought into force on 22.9.2025.
Section 5 of the said Act provides for the appointment of the Managing Committee.
In the meanwhile, the Charity Commissioner initiated suo motu proceedings under Section 41D of the Public Trusts Act in 2024 and the said proceedings are still pending.
By the Notification dated 22.9.2025, the Government appointed the Administrator to manage the affairs of the Trust instead of appointing the Managing Committee under Section 5 of the Act and without framing the Rules.
On 30.9.2025, the Administrator / Collector had appointed the Committee.
