HC flays govt over delay in filing reply on VSDB’s reconstitution

Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of Bombay high court flayed the Maharashtra government for failing to submit reply on a PIL for reconstitution of Vidarbha Statutory Development Board (VSDB).
A division bench comprising justices Avinash Shukre and Anil Kilor observed that the government seems to have discriminating with the backward regions like Vidarbha.
“The state shall ensure that its reply is filed by utilising additional time given to it and at least three or four days before the next date of hearing after two weeks,” the judges said.
According to the petitioners — Nitin Ronghe and Kapil Chandrayan — after expiry of former members’ tenure on April 30, 2020, the government has failed to appoint new members for over a year.
Through senior counsel Shreehari Aney and Akshay Sudame, they pointed out deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s statement that the cabinet would reconstitute development boards only if Koshyari accepted proposed names of 12 persons for vacant MLC seats.
Earlier, government pleader Ketki Joshi informed that she received a communication from the deputy secretary of planning department that advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhkoni would be pleading the case.