Bombay HC Quashes Order Issued In Chief Justice’s Name To Halt Nashik Temple Trust Appointments, Says Officer Misused Authority

Mumbai, October 30, 2026: The Bombay High Court has quashed a communication issued in the name of the then Chief Justice to halt the selection of trustees for the Shree Saptashrungi Nivasini Devi Trust in Nashik, observing that the officer responsible had acted with “gross impropriety” and misused the Chief Justice’s name without obtaining his approval.

A bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Neela Gokhale said the conduct of Anju Shende, who was then serving as Special Officer to the Chief Justice, “certainly shocks” its judicial conscience, as she had attributed the decision to the then Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, now a Supreme Court judge, without placing any proposal or file before him.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Vishnu Trimbak Warungase and four others, who were recommended for appointment as trustees of the temple trust and challenged a March 14, 2026, communication issued by Shende.

The petitioners were represented by Senior Advocate Anil Sakhare.

Selection Process And Stay

The selection process had begun with a public advertisement in September 2025, attracting around 625 applications. A list of five recommended candidates was prepared on March 12, 2026.

However, two days later, Shende wrote to the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Nashik, asking him to withdraw the recommended list or keep the selection process on hold.

The communication claimed to have been issued pursuant to the then Chief Justice’s oral directions following a telephonic conversation. The district judge subsequently stayed the selection process.

In her affidavit, Shende maintained that she had acted on the Chief Justice’s oral instructions and referred to a September 2025 ordinance, contending that the district judge was required to consult the High Court.

Court Finds No Chief Justice's Approval

However, the bench noted that no proposal had been placed before the then Chief Justice and no approval had been obtained from him. This position was also admitted by the respondents’ counsel.

“We wonder as to what could have prompted the Special Officer to issue such communication purportedly under the garb of having acted as per the directions of the then Chief Justice on the administrative side,” the court observed.

It further said that accepting the communication without prior approval would amount to condoning a Registry officer “usurping the solemnity of the high office” of the Chief Justice.

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The bench said attributing decisions to the Chief Justice in such a casual manner amounted to serious misconduct. It also orally questioned the officer’s “audacity” in using his name without approval.

High Court Quashes Communication

The High Court allowed the petition and quashed the March 14 communication and the consequential order staying the selection process.

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