JUDGMENT :

Advait M. Sethna, J.

1. Rule. Rule made returnable forthwith with the consent of the parties.

2. The Petitioner has prayed for the following substantive relief/s:-

“A) This Honorable Court in exercise of powers under Article 226 and/or 227 of the Constitution of India be please to issue a writ of Mandamus or any other writ of like nature and be please to call for records and proceedings leading up to passing of impugned letter dated 13th March, 2026 and thereafter be pleased to quash and set aside the Impugned letter dated 13th March, 2026 issued by the Respondent No.01 to the Petitioner.

B) This Honorable Court in exercise of powers under Article 226 and/or 227 of the Constitution of India be please to Issue the writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, direction, or order directing the Respondents to regularize the service of the petitioner in the post of Deputy Registrar (Legal) and fix the pay of the Petitioner and to pay arrears the full difference calculated as - the full difference between (a) the pay and admissible allowances at the minimum pay-level applicable to the post of Deputy Registrar (Legal) from time to time, and (b) the amounts actually paid, for the period of joining in duties till the date of regularization alongwith promotional benefits with 8% simple interest per annum on calculated arrears from due date till actual payment.

OR ALTERNATIVELY

B) Issue the writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, direction, or order to regularize the service of the petitioner in his present post Executive Officer (Legal) from the date of his initial appointment by fixing pay scale as applicable to the post of Deputy Registrar (Legal) or any other pay scale as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and to pay arrears for the period of joining in duties till the date of regularization along with promotional benefits with 8% simple interest per annum on calculated arrears.”

3. The Petitioner has been appointed as Executive Officer (Legal) with the first Respondent purely on contractual basis on such post which is temporary, in terms of the advertisement dated 8 July 2015. The Petitioner is primarily aggrieved by the Communication/Order dated 13 March 2026 (Impugned Communication/Order). This was to the effect that his tenure as Executive Officer (Legal) for a period of one year w.e.f. 24 April 2025 had come to an end on 23 April 2026. Accordingly, he would not be given any further extension, to his appointment. The Petitioner has assailed the said Impugned Communication/Order along with his prayer seeking regularization in his post of Executive Officer (Legal) and/or Deputy Registrar (Legal), which forms the fulcrum of the proceedings.

Factual Matrix:-

4. The facts necessary for the adjudication for this Petition are set out below:-

5. The Petitioner completed LL.B. degree in First Class with distinction from Shahaji Law College, Kolhapur in April of 2000. The Petitioner thereafter pursued and completed his LL.M. (Commercial and Criminal Laws) from Shivaji University, Kolhapur in April of 2002 wherein he secured 50.05% marks in the LL.M. examination.

6. The Respondent No.1 published an advertisement dated 8 July 2015 inviting online application for 1 unreserved post of Executive Officer, Administration, specifying that the post is temporary and that the appointment would be on a contract for a period of 3 years.

7. The Petitioner on 17 July 2015 successfully submitted an application for selection to the said post, the receipt of which was duly acknowledged by the first Respondent.

8. The Petitioner received a call letter on 18 January 2016 from Assistant Registrar (Admin-I) for the post of Executive Officer (Legal). The Petitioner then appeared before the Selection Committee for interview on 27 January 2016 and submitted the relevant documents.

9. The Petitioner by a letter dated 8 February 2016 addressed by the first Respondent offered the Petitioner the position of Executive Officer (Legal) in the Administration Office on