<p>The Bombay High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation challenging a 1982 decision of Maharashtra Government allowing change of user on a plot of land in Kolhapur, belonging to singer Lata Mangeshkar.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The division bench of Justices S J Vajifdar and Gautam Patel ruled that petitioner did not make out any case as to why the decision of the state should be set aside.<br /><br />Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal, an organisation of Marathi film fraternity, had filed the PIL, contending that government's decision was meant only to favour Mangeshkar.<br /><br />Lata Mangeshkar purchased this 13-acre plot in 1959 from renowned Marathi film director-producer Bhalji Pendharkar. Pendharkar had bought this land from the erstwhile princely state of Kolhapur on the condition that it would be used for a building a film studio.<br /><br />PIL contended that Pendharkar's Jaiprabha studio still stood on this land.<br /><br />In 1982, Mangeshkar approached the government seeking permission to change the user of land, as she proposed to develop a residential housing scheme there. The government and the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation acceded to the request.<br /><br />The petitioners had objected to this; however the High Court yesterday said it would not like to interfere with the State Government's decision.</p>
<p>The Bombay High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation challenging a 1982 decision of Maharashtra Government allowing change of user on a plot of land in Kolhapur, belonging to singer Lata Mangeshkar.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The division bench of Justices S J Vajifdar and Gautam Patel ruled that petitioner did not make out any case as to why the decision of the state should be set aside.<br /><br />Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal, an organisation of Marathi film fraternity, had filed the PIL, contending that government's decision was meant only to favour Mangeshkar.<br /><br />Lata Mangeshkar purchased this 13-acre plot in 1959 from renowned Marathi film director-producer Bhalji Pendharkar. Pendharkar had bought this land from the erstwhile princely state of Kolhapur on the condition that it would be used for a building a film studio.<br /><br />PIL contended that Pendharkar's Jaiprabha studio still stood on this land.<br /><br />In 1982, Mangeshkar approached the government seeking permission to change the user of land, as she proposed to develop a residential housing scheme there. The government and the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation acceded to the request.<br /><br />The petitioners had objected to this; however the High Court yesterday said it would not like to interfere with the State Government's decision.</p>