Mumbai, November 11, 2026: The city civil court came to the rescue of a professor who was asked to pay over Rs 37.22 lakh as arrears of rent as he allegedly continued to occupy government accommodation in Mumbai even after being transferred to Jalgaon. The court has set aside the eviction order and directed the authorities to reconsider his case after giving him a proper opportunity of hearing.
Principal Judge Arvind T Wankhede, while allowing an appeal filed by Dr Prashant Patil, observed that the competent authority had failed to follow the procedure before passing the eviction order and had not adequately considered the professor's submissions.
Patil, who was appointed as an Associate Professor through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission in August 2012, was initially posted at Government Ayurved College, Osmanabad. Following his promotion, he was transferred to R.A. Podar Medical College in Mumbai, where he was allotted government residential accommodation at Vibhavari, Churchgate.
However, on June 2, 2022, he was transferred to Government Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Jalgaon. The authorities subsequently asked him to vacate the government accommodation, contending that government employees transferred out of Mumbai were required to vacate their quarters within three months under a government resolution.
After Patil failed to vacate the premises, the authorities initiated eviction proceedings. On March 27, 2025, the competent authority directed him to vacate the accommodation within a month and pay Rs 37.22 lakh towards arrears of rent and outstanding dues.
Professor Challenges Eviction Order
Challenging the order, Patil argued that his transfer to Jalgaon was deliberate and that his request for a suitable posting in Mumbai had not been considered despite the availability of vacancies. He also pointed out that his transfer dispute was pending before the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal.
He submitted that his family, comprising his wife, two children studying at Navy School in Colaba and his mother, who is undergoing treatment for schizophrenia at J.J. Hospital, continued to reside in Mumbai. He further contended that he had not occupied any other government accommodation after his transfer and that house rent allowance was being deducted from his salary.
Court Orders Fresh Consideration
The court noted that although Patil had appeared before the competent authority on February 27, 2025, and filed his reply, he was not given a proper opportunity to present his case thereafter. It also observed that his application dated March 24, 2025, seeking an opportunity of hearing, was not considered before the eviction order was passed.
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The court has hence remanded the matter to the competent authority for fresh consideration, with directions to allow Patil an opportunity to file his reply, produce evidence and advance arguments before deciding the matter in accordance with law. The parties have been directed to appear before the competent authority on November 23, 2026.
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