Bombay High Court asks Maharashtra government about steps taken to construct new court building

The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra government to file an affidavit listing all steps taken by it towards the construction of a new High Court complex in Bandra, a suburban region of Mumbai. .A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor posed queries on what steps had been taken by the State government to vacate the land on which the new building is to be constructedThe Court also questioned how long it would take to carry out the process of vacating the premises. "You (government pleader) are better acquainted with this building than me. Our officers who work on the other side of the building (the section housing the government pleaders offices and other administrative offices) - look at the stairs there - how are they working? Their lives are in peril. They do not have storage," the Chief Justice remarked today..The Court was hearing a plea concerning the allotment of land to construct a new court complex.In January 2019, the High Court directed the State government to take a decision on offering a large and convenient plot of land for the construction of a new High Court complex.In May 2023, the Maharashtra government asked the High Court administration to take advance possession of certain land in Bandra East for this purpose..However, the Court asked today if there was any point in taking advance possession of land that was not yet vacant. "Since those structures stand, what will the High Court do by taking possession of land that is not vacant? It needs to be worked out," the Court said. .The Court was informed that the land contained staff quarters for government officials, some of whom even worked in the High Court. The state government pleader pointed out that change in revenue records, zoning of the land is required to be completed.The Chief Justice, in response, asked why the State had not carried out these procedures, which they were aware of right from the time the property had been earmarked for the new building. "You knew the (procedures required for transfer) since the beginning when the land was earmarked and all. This was known to you since long. Is there any plan in place that you will shifting government servants in this time? Have you located any place to relocate them? This is contempt proceedings, we do not want to create unsavoury situation", the Chief Justice said. .The bench, however, granted the State some time to file an affidavit giving details of the steps taken so far for handing over possession of vacant land for the construction of the new building of the High Court.The matter will be heard next on March 28.