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2026:BHC-A S:45143-DB CNR No : HCBM010554722026 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION [1] WRIT PETITION NO.15159 OF 2026 Satish Maulyawan Patole ….Petitioner Versus State of Maharashtra and others ….Respondents …..

WITH [2] WRIT PETITION NO.15160 OF 2026 Jinesh Jitendra Koli ….Petitioner Versus State of Maharashtra and others ….Respondents __________

Dr. Uday Warunjikar, Advocate a/w. Anirudh Rote, Jinesh J. Koli for the Petitioner in Writ Petition No.15160/2026 Mr. Satish Maulyawan Patole, the Petitioner in-person in Writ Petition No.15159/2026.

Ms. Neha Bhide, Government Pleader a/w. O.A. Chandurkar, Addl. G.P. a/w Ms.R.A.Salunke, AGP for the Respondent Nos.1 & 2 - State & MPSC in WP/15160/2026.

Ms. Neha Bhide, Government Pleader a/w. O.A. Chandurkar, Addl. G.P. a/w T.N. Bhatia AGP for the Respondent Nos.1 & 2 - State & MPSC in WP/15159/2026.

Dr. Milind Sathe, Senior Advocate a/w Rahul Nerlekar, Shailendra Kanetkar for the Respondent No.3 in both the Petitions.

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CORAM : SARANG V. KOTWAL &

RANJITSINHA RAJA BHONSALE, JJ.

DATE : 05^th NOVEMBER, 2026

Deshmane(PS)

JUDGMENT : [Per Sarang V. Kotwal, J.]

1. Both these Petitions are decided by this common order because the relief sought in both these Petitions and the legal issues raised in both these Petitions are similar. Considering the urgency, we have heard both the parties at length. Hence, Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith with consent of the parties.

2. The Petitioner Satish Patole in Writ Petition No.15159/2026 has obtained a Degree in Law in June, 2026 and is enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa on 20.6.2026. The Petitioner Jinesh Jitendra Koli in Writ Petition No.15160/2026 has obtained a Degree in Law in 2026 from the University of Mumbai and is enrolled as an Advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa on 20.6.2026.

3. The Petitioners are praying for directions to the Respondents to permit them to apply for the “Civil Judge Junior Division & Judicial Magistrate First Class Preliminary Examination-2024” as according to them they are eligible to apply and appear for the said examination which is to be held pursuant to the Advertisement No.013/2026. The Petitioner Jinesh Koli in Writ Petition No.15160/2026 has made a prayer for quashing and setting aside paragraph No.1 and the consequential parts of the corrigendum dated 23.10.2026 made to the said advertisement.

4. According to both the Petitioners, they are eligible to apply for the said recruitment process pursuant to the directions given by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Bhumika Trust Vs. Union of India and others¹(hereinafter referred to as ‘Bhumika Trust case’)

5. Heard Dr. Uday Warunjikar, the learned counsel for the Petitioner in Writ Petition No.15160/2026, Mr. Satish Patole, the Petitioner in-person in Writ Petition No.15159/2026, Ms. Neha Bhide, Government Pleader along with Mr. O.A. Chandurkar, Addl. G.P. for the Respondent Nos.1 & 2-State & MPSC and Dr. Milind Sathe, the learned Senior Advocate along with Mr.Rahul Nerlekar, for the Respondent No.3 in both the Petitions.

6. The said corrigendum dated 23.10.2026 refers to the advertisement dated 30.4.2026 for conducting the Preliminary Examination for the post of Civil Judge Junior Division & Judicial Magistrate First Class. There is a reference to the order dated 21.8.2026 passed in the aforementioned Bhumika Trust case. It is

1 2026 SCC OnLine SC 1687 mentioned in the corrigendum that as per the said order, all Law Graduates who have obtained the Degree in Law prior to one year from the date of the judgment dated 21.8.2026 in Bhumika Trust case shall be deemed to have completed one year of active practice; and the corrigendum further mentions that those fresh graduates in the branch of Law who have obtained their degree before 22.8.2025 were invited to submit their forms if they were eligible according to the terms mentioned in the advertisement date