The Bombay High Court on Monday set aside, for the time being, the Thane district collector’s conflicting orders on the recognition and derecognition of political alliances in the Ambernath Municipal Council, terming the shifting allegiances of elected members as “globe-trotting”.
A division bench of Justices Ravindra V. Ghuge and Abhay A. Mantri disposed of a petition filed by the BJP-Congress-NCP alliance — the Ambernath Vikas Aghadi (AVA) — and directed the district collector to grant all stakeholders, including BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction), an opportunity to present their case.
The dispute arises from the post-poll political developments in Ambernath, following municipal council elections held on December 20, 2025. Although the Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats in the 60-member body, it was sidelined by an unusual post-poll tie-up between the BJP and its traditional rival, the Congress, along with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, forming the AVA.
The AVA was recognised as a pre-poll alliance by the Thane collector on January 7. However, following internal party actions, the Congress suspended its 12 councillors, who later joined BJP. Four NCP councillors, in turn, extended support to the Shiv Sena, prompting the collector on January 9 to derecognise the AVA and recognise the new Sena-NCP combination as a pre-poll alliance instead.
During the hearing, the bench remarked humorously on the fluid political loyalties. “Today, these four persons are with him [Eknath Shinde], yesterday they were with someone else. They are globe-trotting. What if tomorrow they go with someone else?” Justice Ghuge commented.
The Court emphasized the need for procedural fairness and due hearing, directing the collector to:
- Allow all concerned parties to submit written arguments by January 28.
- Pass a fresh reasoned order within 21 days thereafter.
- Keep that order inoperative for two weeks, so that any aggrieved party may approach the court if needed.
“Until then, the collector’s communications dated January 7 and 9 shall be kept in abeyance,” the bench ordered.
The petition filed by the AVA was disposed of in light of the above directions. The matter will now revert to the district collector for fresh consideration, in accordance with the Bombay High Court’s order.
