On September 23, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud laid the foundation stone for a new complex for the Bombay High Court in Bandra, Mumbai.
New Delhi, Sep 25: The Supreme Court directed the Maharashtra chief secretary to convene a meeting with the chief justice of the Bombay High Court and other judges regarding the redevelopment of a Public Works Department (PWD) building and an annexe adjacent to the iconic high court building in Mumbai, aimed at relocating some courtrooms and facilities.
On September 23, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud laid the foundation stone for a new complex for the Bombay High Court in Bandra, Mumbai.
The Supreme Court is addressing a suo motu case titled ‘Heritage Building of the Bombay High Court and allotment of additional lands for the High Court’ and believes that while the new building is being constructed, certain facilities should be temporarily shifted to the adjacent PWD building.
A special bench, including the CJI and Justices B.R. Gavai and J.B. Pardiwala, emphasized the urgent need for repairs to the annexe building, which houses several courts and facilities.
“The chief justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, will meet with the chief secretary and other judges to discuss the redevelopment of part of the PWD building and repairs to the annexe,”
the bench stated.
Additionally, the apex court urged the state government to consider providing space for an arbitration and mediation center for the high court in the Air India building in South Mumbai, to be discussed in the upcoming meeting.
CJI Chandrachud recalled his experiences in the annexe building, noting its historical significance and the leaks during monsoon seasons. The annexe also accommodates the advocate general’s and government pleaders’ offices, which now require urgent repairs.
The bench reiterated the importance of adhering to timelines for transferring remaining land at Bandra for the new high court construction.
“Let’s hope that a certain momentum is maintained,”
CJI Chandrachud remarked.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, senior Supreme Court judges, and the High Court Chief Justice.
The new complex will feature spacious courtrooms, judges’ chambers, an arbitration and mediation center, an auditorium, a library, and various amenities for staff, lawyers, and litigants. The Maharashtra government has committed to handing over 30.16 acres of land to the High Court in phases, with 4.39 acres already transferred.
Established on August 16, 1862, the Bombay High Court has been housed in its historic building near Flora Fountain since November 1878. The court has jurisdiction over Maharashtra, with principal and bench seats in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Aurangabad, as well as Goa, and oversees the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Currently, the high court has a sanctioned strength of 94 judges, with 66 sitting judges.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had instructed the state government to issue an order by September 7 for the transfer of land at the Bandra-Kurla complex for the new high court construction, following a petition from Bombay Bar Association president Nitin Thakker and other bar leaders highlighting the urgent accommodation needs of the 150-year-old high court.
