In Brief
The Supreme Court dismissed appeals by the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation against a High Court judgment quashing a draft development plan. The High Court had found that the Municipality failed to prepare and publish the draft plan within the mandatory two-year timeframe under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966. The Court upheld that statutory time limits under Section 26 are mandatory, not discretionary. When time lapses, Section 21(4A) automatically empowers government officers to take over. The Court directed preparation of a fresh combined development plan for the original and extended city limits as per Government directions.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.