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Abdi had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition in 2012 seeking a new building for the high court on a priority basis. The high court had then directed the State government to offer a large and convenient plot of land for the construction of a new complex for the high court
A division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Chief Justice Devendra K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor on Wednesday while hearing plea regarding allotment of land for the new high court building remarked that the heritage of the high court needed to be maintained.
"This building is 150 years old. It has not only archaeological value but also has heritage and needs to be preserved. There is so much footfall, so it should be preserved as is. Let us maintain the heritage” the court said.
The high court was hearing a contempt petition filed by Advocate Ahmad Abdi following the high court's direction to the state government for the allotment of the land for the new high court building.
Advocate General, Birendra Saraf, informed the high court that a High Powered Committee (HPC) was already formed and was looking into the issue of constructing the new land.
The bench, therefore, adjourned the matter today and kept it for hearing after 3 weeks.
In June 2023, the Maharashtra government requested the Registrar of the Bombay High Court to assign a representative to take early possession of a 30-acre land in the suburbs of Mumbai for the construction of a new high court complex.
On March 30, 2023, the Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court that it will allocate 30.16 acres of land in Bandra for construction of a new high court building.
Advocate General Dr. Birendra Saraf had earlier told the court that a formal government resolution (GR) on the matter would be issued soon and that a memorandum had already been signed with the public works department (PWD).
Abdi had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition in 2012 seeking a new building for the high court on a priority basis. The high court had then directed the State government to offer a large and convenient plot of land for the construction of a new complex for the high court.
However, since the order of 2019, the State government had not taken any steps toward the same. Abdi claimed that the State was in contempt of the high court's order.
Case title: Ahmad Abdi vs State of Maharashtra
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