State offers possession of 30-acre plot in Bandra East for new HC complex

The Maharashtra state government has offered to hand over a 30-acre plot in Bandra East for the construction of a new high court complex. The Bombay High Court declined the government's request to discontinue monitoring the process, however, stating that the public interest litigation (PIL) seeking allotment of additional building for the HC would continue to be monitored. The HC had directed the state government to take a decision on the issue in 2019 after a PIL was filed in 2012.

MUMBAI: The state government on Wednesday informed the Bombay high court that it had issued a communication on May 25 offering advance possession of a 30-acre plot in Bandra East for construction of new high court complex.

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The state government also requested the court to depute someone to formally accept possession of the land.

The state government submitted that in light of the communication, the HC should stop listing the public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking allotment of additional building for the HC.

The HC, however, declined to accept state government’s request and said that though the PIL was disposed of in March this year, it was kept on the list for monitoring progress with regards to the land and it would continue to do so.

The division bench of acting chief justice Nitin Jamdar and justice Sandeep Marne was hearing the PIL filed by advocate Ahmad Abdi.

Advocate general Birendra Saraf informed the bench that the state government had already started work on handing over the 30-acre plot of land for the HC complex and the issuance of the May 25 communication was a step towards that end.

The communication by Dinesh Kurhade, tehsildar (Revenue), Mumbai Suburban to the Registrar of HC stated that in furtherance of the state government’s decision to allot land for new high court complex in Bandra East, the 30-acre-plot was being offered for advance possession. The letter stated that the HC should appoint someone to complete the process.

In this backdrop, Saraf requested the bench to discontinue monitoring the process as things were moving ahead. However, the bench declined.

Abdi had filed a petition in 2012 seeking allotment of an additional building for the HC. However, it was only in 2019 and after Abdi alleged that there was complete failure on the part of the state government to address the issue, the HC directed the state government to take a decision in this regard.

Last year, after chief minister Eknath Shinde had assured chief justice Dipankar Datta that the state would allot land in Bandra East, a formal announcement was made, in March this year, about the allotment of the land.

The then acting chief justice, SV Gangapurwala, has expressed satisfaction and disposed of the PIL. He had, however, kept it pending for hearing for compliance.

On May 19, the state Revenue Department issued an order authorising the transfer of 30 acre of land for the construction of a new court complex. The HC will hear the matter next on July 9.