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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 to construct 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.
The Bombay High Court on Monday expressed its displeasure over the delay by the Maharashtra State Government in allotting land for the new high court building in Bandra.
The division bench of the high court, comprising Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor, remarked that the lives of the court officers were at peril due to the bad condition of the high court building.
“The condition of the Bombay High Court building is well known. The condition of this building and also the annexe building is bad. Our officers work there. Their lives are in peril. They work in dangerous conditions. There is no space for storage, no space to walk, and the stairs are in poor condition,” Chief Justice said.
The bench also expressed displeasure over the state government not changing the revenue records.
“The government knew long back that the land was not vacant when it was earmarked for the high court building. Why was nothing done for so long? What is the plan for relocation? Is there any plan in place that you will shift government servants at this time, have you located any place to relocate them? Directions have already been issued. This is contempt proceedings, we do not want to create an unsavoury situation,” 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 land for the new high court building.
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 to construct 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.
Advocate Abdi today submitted that there was nothing happening on the ground, and the state was only giving false promises.
The high court posted the matter to March 28 and directed the state to file an affidavit explaining steps taken to allot the land for the new high court building.
On October 11, 2023, the state had informed the high court that the demarcation of land for the new high court was completed.
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 the construction of a new high court building.
Case title: Ahmed Abdi vs State of Maharashtra
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