The Bombay High Court will have a new bench in Kolhapur district, western Maharashtra, making it the fourth bench of the High Court in the state. Sittings will begin on August 18, according to a PTI report.
“I, Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice of the High Court at Bombay, with the approval of the Governor of Maharashtra, appoint Kolhapur as a place at which Judges and Division Courts of the High Court may also sit, with effect from August 18, 2025,” it stated.
Officials said the roster of judges for the Kolhapur bench—which is expected to serve six districts—will be finalised next week.
Currently, the High Court has its principal bench in Mumbai and additional benches in Nagpur and Aurangabad. It also holds sittings in Goa.
There have been long-standing demands for a bench at Kolhapur to ease the burden on litigants and lawyers, who otherwise must travel nearly 380 km to Mumbai for hearings.
The new bench is expected to cover the districts of Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg.
Chief Justice of India BR Gavai had recently supported the demand for a bench in Kolhapur.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis shared the notification on X, calling the move a major relief for litigants and legal professionals in the region.
Describing it as a “historic development,” the CM said the demand had been under consideration since the start of his term.
“It was a long-standing demand of the people, and I had been pursuing it consistently. I am extremely delighted it has now succeeded,” said Fadnavis, who also holds the law and judiciary portfolio.
He thanked CJI Gavai and Chief Justice Aradhe for their support.
“This will make justice more accessible and efficient, while saving citizens’ time, effort, and money,” he said, congratulating the people and legal fraternity of the region.
Source: Hindustan Times
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