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Synopsis

The Maharashtra Government on Monday told the Bombay High Court that air conditioners will be installed in the advocates bar rooms in the high court premises by 31st December.

“Along with the said Government Resolution dated 3rd October 2023, a chart has also been submitted, which is duly signed by the Dy. Engineer (Electrical) PWD, Mumbai according to which the work of installation of air conditioners would be completed by 31st December 2023,” the order reads.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf also informed the bench a government resolution was passed on 3rd October 2023 whereby an amount of Rs.3,76,37,000 has been sanctioned for the installation of the air conditioners.

The division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Devendra K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor therefore proceeded to dispose of the petition.

The high court was hearing the petition filed by Five former Presidents of the Advocates Association of Western India, including four senior advocates seeking the installation of air conditioning systems in the Advocates Bar Rooms in the high court.

The petition was filed by Senior Advocates Shirish Gupte, Ashok Mundargi, Prasad Dhakephalkar, Rajiv Patil, and Advocate Balkrishna Joshi.

The plea states that air-conditioning systems were installed in the courts in the year 2000 to avoid the noise from outside the high court.

The exhaust systems were installed outside the bar rooms, which resulted in the bar rooms remaining hot.

Consequently, with the exhaust system installed outside the bar rooms, the temperatures have started rising again.

The former presidents had approached the high court seeking an allocation of funds of Rs. 43,137,719, but the high court registrar approved the allocation of Rs. 37,637,000 for the installation of air conditioners. However, the installation work has not been executed as of yet.

The petition stated that currently there is no proper ventilation in the Advocates Bar Roms in the high court premises due to exhausts.

"Today there is no proper or healthy ventilation in the Bar rooms and due to the exhausts of air conditioners of court rooms, Bar rooms have become inhabitable for human beings," the plea states.

Case title: Shirish Gupte & ors. Vs State of Maharashtra & Ors.