The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking a direction to the state committee to quash its decision to confer the prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan Award on veteran historian and writer Babasaheb Purandare.
Dismissing the petition, the court said that there is no substance in the PIL. The decision has paved the way for giving award to Purandare.
The court has also levied fine of Rs.10,000 on the petitioner for wasting time of the court.
The petition, filed by Padmakar Kamble and Rahul Okade, had alleged that the eligibility criteria was not followed while selecting the awardee and hence the decision process was "arbitrary and reflected non-application of mind."
Also read: Decoding the controversy over awarding Maharashtra Bhushan to Babasaheb Purandare
It argued that several eminent personalities such as social worker Prakash Amte, thespian Dilip Kumar, mega star Amitabh Bachchan and singer Asha Bhosle were short-listed for the award. However, the name of Purandare was included at the last minute and hence the procedure was not followed in letter and spirit, the petitioner alleged.
The petition had said that the rules for selecting the award- winner has been set out in Government Resolution of September 1, 2012, however, they are not being followed.\
Also read: Devendra Fadnavis, not Babasaheb Purandare, the real issue: Raj Thackeray
Maharashtra Bhushan is the highest and prestigious award presented annually by the state government since 1996 for significant contribution in various fields. It was initially conferred in the fields of literature, science, arts and sports. Later, other fields such as social work, health services, journalism and public administration were included.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a memento and citation. The winners are selected by a committee appointed by the state government.
Also read: Maharashtra: Amid political storm, Shiv Sena lends support to govt's decision to honour Purandare
