Demarcation of plot for new High Court building complete: Maharashtra government to Bombay High Court

The Advocate General of Maharashtra Dr. Birendra Saraf informed the Bombay High Court on October 11 that government officials have completed a survey and demarcated a new plot of land on which the new High Court complex would be constructed..Saraf made the submission before a division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor..The Court was also informed of a report by a High Power Committee (HPC), which said that relevant stakeholders were met on the matter. The report further said that a survey had been done on September 15 following which land was demarcated in the presence of State officers and court officers. .The Advocate General added that following these developments, the HPC had decided to hold a meeting to discuss the further course of action on October 13..The submission was made during the hearing of a petition concerning the allotment of land to construct a new court complex.In January 2019, the High Court had urged the State government to take a decision on the issue and offer a large and convenient plot of land for the construction of the new High Court complex.On March 30 this year, Saraf told the Court that it had decided to allot 30.16 acres of land in Bandra for the construction of a new building..The land allotted at Bandra East is expected to have central tribunals as well as chambers for lawyers (8.9 acres) along with the High Court building (21 acres), which will also house judge's quarters. A portion of the land is slated to be commercially developed for lawyers' chambers and the government plans to receive revenue from the same..Earlier, Saraf had told the Court that the land had been reserved for government housing and that the State would require some time to change the reservation to one for a commercial complex. Once that is done, the State would issue a Government Resolution which would pave the way for the construction of the new court complex, it was added..The Court will hear the matter again on December 7..Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.