The Bombay High Court on 21th February, 2025 directed the Maharashtra government to promptly decide on staff requirement proposals submitted by the High Court registry, as staff shortages were severely affecting court functioning. A bench of Justice AS Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata, hearing a suo motu case, emphasised the urgency, citing issues like incomplete scanning of petitions and inadequate digital infrastructure.

The court noted that appointing staff alone was insufficient; they needed to be technically skilled to handle modern judicial needs. It also stressed planning for future staffing needs, especially with the construction of a new High Court building and growing commercial litigation.

The suo motu case stemmed from a December 2024 contempt case, where the court highlighted disruptions caused by a lack of court staff, inadequate storage, and delays in document processing. Despite digital filing, a shortage of scanning equipment and technical personnel was hindering case uploads, burdening existing staff.

The High Court Registry informed the Court that staffing proposals had been sent to the State government in December 2024 and another projection for the next 15 years was submitted recently. Additional Government Pleader Abhay Patki assured that the proposals would be considered without obstruction. The court suggested a meeting between the High Court Registry and the Principal Secretary of Law and Judiciary to resolve the issue swiftly.