India, March 25 -- The Bombay high court (HC) has restrained administrators appointed to gram panchayats across Maharashtra from taking major financial or policy decisions while clarifying that their role is limited to routine administration.

A division bench of justices Ravindra V Ghuge and Abhay J Mantri on March 18 passed the interim order while hearing petitions challenging the state government's decision to appoint former sarpanchs as administrators.

In January 2026, the Maharashtra government decided to appoint outgoing sarpanchs as administrators to nearly 14,500 gram panchayats whose terms were ending on or before February 28, 2026. The move was challenged by the residents of Uruli Kanchan in Pune district through a petition fil...