Maharashtra
Maharashtra: Government moves HC against MAT orders regarding transgenders applying for police department

The Maharashtra government moved the Bombay High Court on Monday, challenging an order passed by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal directing it to create a provision for transgenders in the application form for posts under the home department.
The petition was mentioned before a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Abhay Ahuja, seeking an urgent hearing to stay the tribunal order.
The bench said it would hear the matter on November 30. A transgender person, Arya Pujari, who aspired to be a police constable, had approached the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT).
After an advertisement was issued for the recruitment of police constables, Pujari applied online. However, in the application, only two genders were mentioned—male and female—and no third gender was mentioned, because of which Pujari could not fill out the online form.
The MAT on November 14 directed the state government to create a third option for transgender people after the two options of male and female, in the application form for all recruitment under the home department.
The tribunal had also said the government should fix criteria for physical standards and tests for transgender people.
The government claimed in its petition that it was “extremely difficult” to implement the tribunal’s direction as the state government has not yet framed any policy regarding special provisions for the recruitment of transgenders.
“The acceptance of the forms has already been scheduled for September 11, and November 30,” it added.
The petition sought for the HC to quash the tribunal’s order as it was illegal and against the law. It said the tribunal failed to consider that the process was a “herculean task and a lengthy process.”
In its order, the tribunal had directed the government to make necessary changes to its advertisement and display the same on its website by November 23.
On November 25, the MAT extended the deadline for accepting transgender forms until December 8 after being informed by Chief Presenting Officer SP Manchekar, representing the state, that the government was still in the process of developing a policy for the employment of transgender people in public positions.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Legislature Monsoon Session Scheduled in Mumbai from June 30 to July 18

Mumbai, June 26, 2025 — The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Council will hold their Monsoon session from June 30 to July 18, as announced at the meeting of the Legislative Work Advisory Committee. The session is set to take place at the Vidhana Bhavan in Mumbai.
The upcoming session is expected to see important discussions on various state issues, legislative amendments, and government policies. Leaders and members of the legislative assembly expressed their readiness to engage in deliberations aimed at addressing the concerns of citizens and advancing development initiatives.
The announcement has been welcomed by political parties across the spectrum, with expectations of productive debates and decision-making during this period. The committee emphasized the importance of the session in facilitating smooth governance and providing a platform for legislative deliberations.
Details regarding the agenda and schedule of the sessions will be shared soon, with the authorities urging all members to adhere to the protocols and ensure a collaborative environment throughout the period.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Govt Forms Committee To Review Shakti Criminal Law Bill Amid Centre’s Objections

Mumbai: The state government has announced a committee under the Director General of Police (DGP) to review the Shakti Criminal Laws (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill pending in the state legislature.
The committee will compare the provisions made in the Bill with the new legal framework of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The formation of the committee follows a statement made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis a few months ago.
The statement came after objections raised by the Union Home Ministry over some provisions that were in conflict with a few judgments of the Supreme Court. The CM had said the state would review the Bill and reintroduce it, if required.
On Wednesday, the state government issued orders to form a six-member committee under the DGP, with the following members – Principal Secretary to the Law and Judiciary Department, Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department, Additional DG (Law and Order), Deputy Secretary in the Law Department and the Additional DG (prevention of crimes against Women and Children) as member secretary.
The committee will work on two points – a comparative study of the state bill with the BNS and BNSS – and will recommend if more specific legal provisions are needed compared to the Central Act. The report of the committee is expected in two months.
Maharashtra
Will BMC Wake Up? Eastern Freeway Becomes Mumbai’s Most Dangerous Road At Night Due To Defunct Street Lights

Mumbai: Motorists on the Eastern Freeway, which connects south Mumbai to Ghatkopar, are yet again suffering from blackouts as the street lights at several stretches of the road are defunct. The 16.8 km signal-free road connects south Mumbai from P D’mello Road to the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd link road and is preferred by lakhs of motorists to reach the eastern suburbs.
However, instead of providing basic facilities like street lights, the BMC departments concerned are busy passing the buck. “The speed limit is 80 kmph and the absence of streetlight makes the road very dangerous. Accidents can happen any time,” said Hemant Vichare, a daily user.
“It has been at least six months since the road lights have been non-functional, especially from the Wadala to Chembur section. I have never seen all the lights working in the tunnel as well. During the rains, the water accumulates on the roadside and without lights, it becomes very risky to drive,” said D Pinto, a daily user of the Freeway and resident of Chembur.
“The least BMC could have done is install working street lamps. Earlier, it was only the Wadala section that was dark; now even the flyover towards Ghatkopar (after Chembur exit) has gone dark. The freeway has heavy vehicular flow with cars running at high speeds. It is very unsafe,” said another commuter.
The flyover was built by the MMRDA and fully handed over to the BMC for operations and maintenance in 2015. When the FPJ contacted BMC’s Chief Engineer (Bridges), Uttam Shrote said that he reminds his staff regularly to follow up. “I am aware the lights at certain sections of the freeway are not working. The tender and quotations to install or repair lights is in process by the Mechanical & Electrical department.”
However, Chief Engineer (Mechanical & Electrical) Krishna Perekar said that his department has neither floated any tender nor is in the process of installing new lights or repairing he existing ones.
“It is not possible that stretches of freeway are without road lights. However, the lights are always purchased in bulk and not for a particular section in the city. The ward offices in the concerned stretch need to look at the issue. The BEST and Adani Electricity supply power to the road,” he said.
When contacted to the spokesperson of Adani Electricity, he said that there is no interruption of power supply in the area, including the freeway from their side.
Notably, this is not the first time that stretches of the Eastern Freeway have gone dark. In July 2023, the media had highlighted the issue of non-functional street lights on the eastern freeway and how it is fast emerging as the most dangerous road in Mumbai, especially at night, primarily because of gross laxity on the part of the civic body.
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