Nagpur, Dec 11 (LatestNewsX) – The state assembly voted unanimously on Thursday to approve the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code Amendment Bill, 2025, which gives the Ministers of State (MoS) and departmental secretaries quasi‑judicial authority.
The change is intended to tackle the mounting backlog in the Revenue Department and follows directives from the High Court.
With the amendment, the MoS and secretaries can now hear appeals that are presently pending before the Revenue Minister.
During the bill’s launch, Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule revealed that the department faces over 13 000 pending quasi‑judicial cases.
A ruling by the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar bench of the High Court had clarified that ministerial powers cannot be conferred simply through rules; the statute itself must be altered.
Bawankule announced a major plan: “We are planning to dispose of all appeals from the level of Deputy Tehsildar up to the Minister level within 90 days. Necessary legal amendments will be made by the March session, ensuring these cases are resolved within three months without date after date.”
During the debate, opposition MPs asked key questions. Shiv Sena UBT legislator Bhaskar Jadhav queried, “If a law is required to delegate the Minister’s powers to the Minister of State, why is this rule limited only to the Revenue Department? What about Ministers in other departments? This decision should have been taken collectively by the General Administration Department (GAD). Also, the limitations on the powers delegated to the Minister of State must be clearly defined.”
Other legislators – Jayant Patil, Vijay Wadettiwar, and Abhijeet Patil – joined the discussion. Patil highlighted that thousands of cases remain stalled not just at the ministry level but also at lower tiers.
Wadettiwar stressed that setting a 90‑day deadline alone is insufficient; rigorous enforcement is essential. Finally, after the Revenue Minister confirmed comprehensive amendments would be carried out in March of the following year, the bill passed with unanimous support.
sj/dan
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
