SC asks Maharashtra govt to hand over land for Bombay HC building by Sept 7

Supreme Court. File Pic

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to issue an order by September 7 for handing over the land at Bandra-Kurla complex to the Bombay High Court for construction of its new building.

The top court, hearing a suo motu case titled as 'Heritage Building of the Bombay High Court and allotment of additional lands for the High Court', also directed the state government to pass another order to declare the high court building's project as 'vital' to ensure that it does not get affected due to enforcement of the model code of conduct for assembly polls in Maharashtra.

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A special bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices B R Gavai and J B Pardiwala also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, to coordinate with the chairperson of the Bank of India with regard to handing over the possession of certain portion of a building in Mumbai for shifting few facilities of the high court there.

At the outset of the proceedings, the bench asked about the progress made so far in the case.

Advocate General of Maharashtra, Birendra Saraf, said that there was significant progress and the state government was taking steps to hand over possession of land to the high court and the first phase will be over by September 10.

The bench said so far as the alternate premises at CPO complex and Bank of India building are concerned, the repair work has to be expedited so that the high court can use these facilities.

The solicitor general said the Centre would be giving all support promptly.

The bench said once possession of the alternative premises is handed over to the high court, the government should expeditiously release funds to ensure that the premises are modified as per the needs.

Earlier on July 15, the state government had said that it would hand over 4.39 acres of land to the high court for construction of a new building by September 10.

The top court, under its suo motu (on its own) jurisdiction, had taken note of an April 29 letter petition of Bombay Bar Association president Nitin Thakker and other bar leaders with respect to the urgent need of accommodation for the High Court of judicature at Bombay whose existing building is 150 years old.

The bench was also told that the remaining 30.46 acres would also be handed over to the high court within a prescribed time.

"On July 8, 2024, an internal meeting was convened by the Chief Justice of the High Court with the Judges Committee monitoring the construction of the new premises. On July 9, 2024, another meeting was held in which all stakeholders including government officials participated.

"We have been informed that by September 10, 2024, a contiguous area of 4.39 acres in Bandra-Kurla complex will be handed over to the high court by the state government. The state has indicated a timeline to hand over the balance area in phases which measures 30.16 acres to the high court as well," the bench had said.

The top court noted that the Maharashtra government has short-listed eight architects for finalising the design planning and directed that a meeting shall be convened with these architects to apprise them of the requirements of the high court after which they will make a presentation to the state government.

It was earlier informed that the high court has approved the proposal of the Maharashtra government for a land at Bandra East in Mumbai but some portion of the land was being occupied by government housing colonies.

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