Bombay HC will get 4th Bench at Kolhapur; sittings from August 18; Maharashtra CM hails transfer

The Bombay High Court will get a brand new bench at Kolhapur district in western Maharashtra, which would be the fourth HC Bench within the State, and its sittings will begin from August 18.

A notification on this regard was issued on Friday by High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradhe.

“I, Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice of the High Court at Bombay, with the approval of the Governor of Maharashtra, appoint Kolhapur as a place at which Judges and Division Courts of the High Court may also sit, with effect from August 18, 2025,” the notification mentioned.

As per officers, a roster of what number of judges can be sitting on the Kolhapur Bench, which is more likely to cowl half a dozen districts, can be ready subsequent week.

At current, other than the principal Bench in Mumbai, the excessive court docket has two extra Benches — at Nagpur in japanese Maharashtra and Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) within the central area of the State.

A 3rd Bench of the excessive court docket sits in adjoining Goa.

The notification comes amid calls for from numerous quarters over time for a Bench at Kolhapur in order to ease the burden on litigants and attorneys who must journey to Mumbai, round 380km away, for listening to of their pleas.

The new Bench is more likely to have jurisdiction over six districts — Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg (final two situated in coastal Konkan area).

Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai had earlier this month additionally supported the calls for for a HC bench at Kolhapur.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis posted the notification printed in an official gazette on social media platform X and famous the choice to arrange the Bench at Kolhapur will carry much-needed reduction to litigants and authorized professionals within the area.

Terming it a “historic development,” the CM expressed his delight on the determination, stating the matter had been below lively consideration for the reason that starting of his tenure.

“It was a long-standing demand of the people, and I had been pursuing it consistently. I am extremely delighted it has now succeeded,” mentioned Mr. Fadnavis, who additionally handles the legislation and judiciary portfolio.

The CM prolonged his gratitude to CJI Gavai and HC Chief Justice Aradhe for his or her help in enabling the organising of the brand new bench.

“This will make justice more accessible and efficient, while saving citizens’ time, effort, and money,” he added, congratulating the individuals and authorized fraternity of the area.