PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has ruled that the State government cannot extend an employee’s suspension through review orders issued after the mandatory 90-day period. The Division Bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar, on Wednesday, quashed the Director of Panchayats’ July 24, 2026 memorandum rejecting suspended employee Honaji Morajkar’s representation and declared subsequent suspension extensions ineffective.
Morajkar was suspended on January 17, 2025. However, his suspension was not reviewed by the designated Review Committee within 90 days, as required under Rule 10(6) of the CCS (CCA) Rules. The deadline expired on April 17, 2025. The court held that subsequent review orders dated July 29, 2025 and February 25, 2026, could not revive the invalid suspension. It directed the government to treat Morajkar as being on duty from April 18, 2025, pay all outstanding dues within eight weeks and issue a reinstatement order.
The Bench clarified that the ruling would not affect the disciplinary proceedings against him, which the authorities may pursue to their logical conclusion.
