City civil court gets more power

Disputes involving property valuing up to Rs. 1 crore will now be handled by the city civil court.

Disputes involving property valuing up to Rs. 1 crore will now be handled by the city civil court.

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While all district courts across the state have unlimited jurisdiction, the civil court, so far, could only handle matters involving property valuing up to Rs. 50,000. The state government, on Tuesday, issued a notification increasing the pecuniary jurisdiction of the civil court up to Rs. 1 crore.

The Bombay City Civil Court Act, 1948, was enacted to establish the city civil court in Greater Mumbai, with the initial pecuniary jurisdiction of Rs10,000. In 1977, the limit was enhanced to Rs. 50,000. Though it was to be enhanced to unlimited value in 1986, a dispute in the apex court kept the proposal pending. In 1992, the validity of a state legislation enhancing the pecuniary jurisdiction of the court was challenged before the Bombay high court (HC). Subsequently, the matter was carried to the Supreme Court. While the courts upheld the validity of the legislation, its implementation got stuck for want of infrastructure.

SB Shukre, registrar general HC, on Thursday, issued a release stating that all pending suits not exceeding Rs1 crore in value would be transferred to the city civil court and no such suits would now be heard by the high court.