SANT SHIROMANI MANMATH SWAMI Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith. With the consent of parties heard finally at the admission stage.

(2.) The petitioner is invoking jurisdiction of the High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India for challenging Letter of Intent (for short "LOI") dtd. 15/2/2024 issued in favour of the respondent No. 5 and soliciting directions :

(3.) The petitioner runs a senior college in faculties of Arts, Science and Commerce at village Usmannagar, Tq. Kandhar, Dist. Nanded in pursuance of LOI dtd. 31/1/2020 and final permission dtd. 15/6/2021. The respondent No. 5 is granted LOI and the final permission to run a senior college at village Shiradhon, Tq. Kandhar, Dist. Nanded. The distance between two places is about three (03) Kilometers. The perspective plan under Sec. 107 of the Maharashtra Universities Act, 2016 (for the sake of brevity and convenience as to the 'Act') was published for the period 2024-2029 proposing to allot 23 colleges in District Nanded at various locations. Neither any location at village Shiradhon, nor at any place in Kandhar taluka was earmarked in the perspective plan.