Niti IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA WRIT PETITION NO.158 OF 2022 (F)

1) Mr. Ramnath Vasudev Shanbhag, 63 Years of Age, E/1441, Shri. Kripa, 3^rd Cross, Gandhi Nagar, Kumta-581343. 2) Mr. Dasa Ranga Shanbhag, 65 Years of Age, Shree Damodar, Kumbeshwar Road, Kumta.

3) Mr. Ashok Ranga Shanbhag, 64 Years of Age, Shree Damodar, Kumbeshwar Road, Kumta.

4) Mr. Lakshminarayana P. Shanbhag, 53 Years of Age, Carstreet, Kumta. 5) Mr. Vasanth Narayan Shanbhag, 71 Years of Age, Subhash Road, Kumta.

6) Mr. Madhav Keshav Shanbhag, 57 Years of Age, Mahalaxmi, Koppalkarwadi, Kumta.

7) Mr. Vasudev Damodar Shanbhag, 57 Years of Age, Near old Post Office, Kumta, 8) Mr. Anirudh Aravind Pai, 24 Years of Age, 26, Ramnath Industries, Alvekodi, Kumta.

9) Mr. Anil Manjunath Shanbhag, 53 Years of Age, Shakthi Coldrinks, Subhash Road, Kumta.

10)Mr. Gopalkrishna Mukund Shanbhag

71 Years of Age, Car street, Kumta.

11) Mr. Damodar Vasudev Shanbhag, 67 Years of Age, Mahalxmi, Chitrigi Road Kumta.

12) Mr. Ajit Ratnakar Shanbhag

54 Years of Age, Kuligadde House, Murukatte, Kumta.

13) Mr. Prashanth Jagannath Shanbhag

47 Years of Age, Hegde, Kumta.

14) Mr. Vijay Balakrishna Shanbhag 56 Years of Age, Daksha, Melinkeri, Hegde, Kumta. 581330

15) Mr. Mohan Shreedhar Shanbhag

45 Years of Age, Gandhinagar, Hegde, Kumta.

16) Mr. Vinayak Sarvottham Hegde

65 Years of Age, Shree Katyayani, Gurunagar, Kumta. ... Petitioners Versus

1) Administrator of Devalaya, Mamletdar of Sanguem, Office of Mamletdar, Sanguem, Sanguem, Goa.

2) Managing Committee of Shree Ramnath Damodar Saunsthan, Zambaulim, Goa.

3) General Body of Shree Ramnath Damodar Saunsthan, Zambaulim, Goa.

4) Raunak Kamat Bambolkar, E-373-A, Damodar Sadan, 59 yrs.

Mapusa, Goa, 403 507, 8888312198.

5) Nishad Nandan Hegde Dessai, Dambab Vihar, 52 yrs.

3445/1, Fatorda, Margao, Goa 403601, 8888381835. … Respondents Mr. J.P. Mulgaonkar, Senior Advocate with Ms. S. Bangera, Advocate for the Petitioners Mr. Devidas J. Pangam, Advocate General with Ms. Maria Correia, Additional Government Advocate for Respondent No.1.

Mr. S.G. Bhobe, Advocate for Respondent No.2. Mr. Parag Wagle, Advocate for Respondent No.3 Mr. S.S. Kantak, Senior Advocate with Mr. Abhijit Kamat, Ms. Neha Kholkar & Ms. S. Desai, Advocates for Respondent Nos.4 & 5.

CORAM: M. S. SONAK &

R.N. LADDHA, JJ.

Reserved on : 26^th JULY 2022 Pronounced on : 29^th JULY 2022 JUDGMENT : (Per M.S. Sonak, J.

1. Heard learned Counsel for the parties.

2. Rule. The rule is made returnable immediately at the request of and with the consent of the learned Counsel for the parties.

3. The challenge in this petition is to removal of 2352 Mahazans out of a total of 3084, including the petitioners, from the list of capable Mahazans entitled to vote for constituting the Managing Committee of Shree Ramnath Devasthan Saunsthan, Zambaulim, (R-2). The Managing Committee, by proposing such large-scale deletions, has altered the status quo prevalent for at least the last 30 years or thereabouts. Moreover, the removal/deletion is on the sole ground that these 2352 Mahazans allegedly do not have a permanent residence in Goa. Therefore, the Managing Committee's interpretation of Articles 6 and 9 of the bye-laws, 1900 does not entitle them to vote.

4. For the elections scheduled on 13.03.2022, this Court, with the parties consent, made an order dated 08.03.2022, transcribed below for the convenience of reference. "Heard Mr. G. K. Sardessai, learned Advocate for the petitioners, Mr. D. Pangam, learned Advocate General with Ms. Maria Correia, learned Additional Government Advocate for respondent No.1, Mr. S. G. Bhobe, learned Advocate for respondent No.2 and Mr. Parag Wagle, learned Advocate for respondent No.3.

2. After this matter was heard for some time, with the consent of the learned Counsel for the parties, which consent, in turn, is based on the instructions the learned Counsel have received from the party whom they represent, the following interim arrangement is ordered:

i. The elections to the Managing Committee of Ra