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Synopsis

Advocate General Birendra Saraf, representing the Maharashtra Government, informed the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that the high-powered committee had progressed in the allocation of the new high court building in Bandra. 

He stated that a survey had been carried out, and the boundary had been demarcated with the court officer present.

"The matter was kept today so that meetings could be kept from time to time. Your lordship may adjourn. The high powered Committee was formed and it has worked things out. Demarcation was completed on September 15 in the presence of a court officer. Friday there is a meeting to finalise the plan," AG said. 

The division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor 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.

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.

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.

Case title: Ahmed Abdi vs State of Maharashtra