The Maharashtra government has sanctioned 75 acres of land at Shenda Park, Kolhapur, for the development of the Bombay High Court’s Kolhapur Circuit Bench and has approved the creation of 495 permanent posts for its establishment.
The announcement was made on August 17, 2026, during the first foundation day celebrations of the Kolhapur Bench, marking a significant step towards strengthening its institutional infrastructure and eventual transition into a permanent High Court seat.
Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge, said the State had formally transferred the 75-acre parcel to the Bench. He attributed the decision to discussions with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and said that the larger land allocation would obviate the need for seeking additional land in the future. The State has also sanctioned 495 permanent positions specifically for the Kolhapur Bench.
The Bench was constituted pursuant to Section 51 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, which enables additional sittings of a High Court subject to the requisite approval of the State Government and the Governor. Its establishment followed several decades of advocacy by the Bar and litigants from six districts of western Maharashtra,Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.
The decision to locate the Bench at Kolhapur followed a detailed assessment conducted under former Bombay High Court Chief Justice Mohit Shah. The assessment found Kolhapur strategically positioned to cater to the legal needs of the six districts, including more than 50 talukas situated approximately 300 to 500 kilometres from Mumbai.
The Bombay High Court formally notified the constitution of the Circuit Bench on August 1, 2025, and it was inaugurated on August 17, 2025. The Bench commenced functioning the following day.
Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, who inaugurated the Bench last year, reiterated during the foundation day event that its elevation to permanent status should now be regarded as a matter of time. He described the Bench as a full-fledged judicial establishment in practical terms and said that its formal recognition as a permanent High Court Bench was inevitable.
Justice Gavai underscored the constitutional significance of decentralising adjudicatory institutions and bringing the administration of justice closer to litigants. He noted that requiring residents of remote areas of western Maharashtra to travel to Mumbai for comparatively small disputes could impose disproportionate financial and logistical burdens, thereby undermining meaningful access to justice.
The former CJI also disclosed that a proposal to increase the sanctioned strength of judges of the Bombay High Court from 94 to 114 is under consideration. An increase in judicial strength, he indicated, would facilitate the deployment of additional judges at the Kolhapur Bench.
The issue of decentralisation also extended beyond the High Court. Justice Gavai highlighted representations from advocates concerning revenue and tribunal matters, for which litigants and lawyers continue to travel to Pune or Mumbai. He called for consideration of a divisional commissionerate and administrative tribunals at Kolhapur to address the administrative and adjudicatory needs of the region.
Justice M.S. Karnik, who was the senior-most judge when the Bench was established, recalled the coordination between the judiciary and executive that enabled its creation within a short period. He also highlighted the commitment displayed by members of the local Bar in ensuring that the new Bench evolved as a genuine High Court establishment rather than merely functioning as an extension of the district judiciary.
The Bench’s first year of functioning has also produced a substantial disposal record. Nearly 15,000 matters were instituted during the year, of which approximately 13,000 have already been disposed of. Justice Sharmila Deshmukh said the figures demonstrated the tangible impact of the institution in translating the constitutional promise of access to justice into practical reality.
The expansion of land and sanctioned manpower, coupled with the prospect of enhanced judicial strength, therefore marks a significant institutional consolidation of the Kolhapur Bench. The developments also strengthen the long-standing demand for according it permanent status and signal a broader judicial policy of taking constitutional courts closer to litigants in geographically dispersed regions.
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