AC will be installed in Bombay High Court bar rooms by December: State tells Bombay High Court

Installation of an air conditioning (AC) system in lawyers' Bar rooms situated within the High Court premises will be completed by December 2023, Maharashtra Advocate General Dr. Birendra Saraf told the Bombay High Court on Monday..Dr. Saraf informed a division bench that the High Court building committee had already given its sanction for the proposal on October 26, 2023. "The sum and substance is that by December end (this year) the work will be done. It is already being done. I have a vested interest as member of the Bar Association," he said referring to the resolution document..The Court was hearing a petition filed by five former presidents of the Advocates' Association of Western India (AAWI) seeking the installation of air conditioning systems in the lawyers' Bar rooms..The bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor today decided to dispose of the petition in view of the Advocate General's submission."We will dispose the petition and make this document (building committee resolution) part of the court order. Let them finish. If something remains then you can always approach the court," the Court said. .The petition on the issue was filed by Senior Advocates Shirish Gupte, Ashok Mundargi, Prasad Dhakephalkar, Rajiv Patil and advocate Balkrishna Joshi.The petition filed through advocate RD Suryawanshi pointed out that the High Court administration had installed vents or exhaust systems outside the Bar rooms causing the temperatures to rise in the room.While some air conditioners were installed in 2015-16, the same was not used or serviced and became non-functional after 2020.The Bar members made efforts to repair the machines but to no avail. The court administration also maintained ACs within courtrooms, but did not pay attention to Bar rooms, the petitioners submitted..The advocates also addressed a representation to the Maharashtra government on June 6, 2023, seeking approval for the grant of ₹4.31 crores for a new air conditioning system.The government approved the installation on October 3, 2023, and granted funds of ₹3.76 crores for the installation of the system.However, the petitioners expressed concern that the installation may not be completed in the near future and that the plight of advocates would remain the same.The petition, therefore, sought directions to the concerned authorities to immediately install the new air conditioning system in the Bar rooms of the AAWI..Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.