The Supreme Court on Wednesday has directed the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra to convene a meeting with the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and other judges regarding the redevelopment of Public Works Department buildings adjacent to the iconic Bombay High Court in Mumbai.
This meeting aims to discuss the relocation of certain courtrooms and facilities to these premises.
On September 23, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud laid the foundation stone for a new Bombay High Court complex in the Bandra area of Mumbai. The Supreme Court is currently hearing a suo motu case titled “Heritage Building of the Bombay High Court and Allotment of Additional Lands for the High Court.”
The Court expressed the need for immediate action to relocate certain facilities to the nearby PWD building while awaiting the completion of the new complex.
A special bench, comprising Chief Justice Chandrachud and Justices B.R. Gavai and J.B. Pardiwala, emphasized the urgent need for repairs to the High Court’s annexe building, which currently houses several courts and facilities.
The bench stated, “A meeting will be convened by the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court (Justice D.K. Upadhyaya) and other judges with the Chief Secretary to discuss the redevelopment of portions of the PWD building and the necessary repairs to the annexe.”
Additionally, the Supreme Court urged the Maharashtra government to explore the possibility of allocating space within the Air India building in South Mumbai for the establishment of an arbitration and mediation center, to be discussed during the aforementioned meeting.
Chief Justice Chandrachud reflected on his experience in the annexe building, recalling its air-conditioned courtrooms and ongoing issues such as leaking during monsoon seasons. He noted that the offices of the Advocate General and government pleaders are also situated there, underscoring the urgent need for repairs.
The bench called for adherence to the timeline previously established by the Court regarding the transfer of remaining land at Bandra for the construction of the new high court building, expressing hope that momentum would be maintained in this initiative.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new complex was attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, senior Supreme Court judges, and the Chief Justice of the High Court.
The new building is designed to feature spacious courtrooms, chambers for judges and registry staff, an arbitration and mediation center, an auditorium, a library, and various amenities for staff, lawyers, and litigants.
The Maharashtra government has committed to transferring 30.16 acres of land to the High Court in a phased manner, with the initial transfer of 4.39 acres already completed.
The Bombay High Court, established on August 16, 1862, has resided in its current location near Flora Fountain (Hutatma Chowk) since November 1878.
It exercises jurisdiction over Maharashtra from its principal seat in Mumbai, with additional benches in Nagpur and Aurangabad, as well as over Goa and the Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The court has a sanctioned strength of 94 judges, with 66 currently serving.
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 to facilitate the construction of the new building.
This action was initiated in response to a letter petition from Bombay Bar Association President Nitin Thakker and other bar leaders, highlighting the urgent need for accommodation for the Bombay High Court, whose existing structure is over 150 years old.
