The Bombay High Court will get a new bench at Kolhapur district in western Maharashtra, which will be the fourth HC bench in the state, and its sittings will commence from August 18.
A notification in this regard was issued on Friday by High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe.
"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," the notification said.
As per officials, a roster of how many judges would be sitting at the Kolhapur bench, which is likely to cover half a dozen districts, would be prepared next week.
At present, apart from the principal bench in Mumbai, the high court has two more benches -- at Nagpur in eastern Maharashtra and Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) in the central region of the state.
A third bench of the high court sits in adjoining Goa.
The notification comes amid demands from various quarters over the years for a bench at Kolhapur so as to ease the burden on litigants and lawyers who have to travel to Mumbai, around 380km away, for hearing of their pleas.
The new bench is likely to have jurisdiction over six districts - Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg (last two located in coastal Konkan region).
Chief Justice of India B R Gavai had earlier this month also supported the demands for a HC bench at Kolhapur.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis posted the notification published in an official gazette on social media platform X and noted the decision to set up the bench at Kolhapur will bring much-needed relief to litigants and legal professionals in the region.
Terming it a "historic development," the CM expressed his delight at the decision, stating the matter had been under active consideration since the beginning of his tenure.
"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 handles the law and judiciary portfolio.
The CM extended his gratitude to CJI Gavai and HC Chief Justice Aradhe for their support in enabling the setting up of the new bench.
"This will make justice more accessible and efficient, while saving citizens' time, effort, and money," he added, congratulating the people and legal fraternity of the region.
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