At the first anniversary celebration, it was stated that the Kolhapur bench disposed of nearly 13,000 of the 15,000 cases filed before it in its first year.
Land and Staff:
The Maharashtra Government has given 75 acres of land at Shenda Park in Kolhapur and approved 495 permanent staff posts for the Bombay High Court’s circuit bench in Kolhapur.
This announcement was made at the foundation day celebrations of the Kolhapur bench, one year after it was established.
Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Ravindra V Ghuge, spoke about the administrative efforts that resulted in the land being allotted to the bench. He recalled a conversation with Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis at a high-level meeting.
“I asked the CM ‘if slightly more land can be sanctioned for Kolhapur, this issue will be settled permanently, eliminating the need to request additional land in the future. The Chief Minister showed great generosity. 75 acres of land has been officially transferred on paper to the Bench. Further, 495 permanent staff positions are being created specifically for the Kolhapur High Court Bench,” the judge said.
Legal Basis
The Kolhapur bench was set up under Section 51 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. This provision allows High Courts to hold additional sittings with the approval of the State and the Governor.
Long Demand
The bench was established after several decades of continuous efforts by lawyers and litigants from six districts in western Maharashtra: Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.
Why Kolhapur
Kolhapur was selected following a detailed study by former Bombay High Court Chief Justice Mohit Shah. The study found that the city could effectively serve these six districts. These districts cover more than half of the geographical area served by the principal seat, and more than 50 talukas are located between 300 and 500 km from Mumbai.
Official Start
On August 1, 2025, the then Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Alok Aradhe, issued a notification formally establishing the circuit bench at Kolhapur.
The bench was inaugurated on August 17, 2025.
Permanent Bench Hope
Former Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Ravindra V Ghuge, several senior High Court judges, Advocate General Milind Sathe and Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh attended the foundation day celebration.
Former CJI Gavai assured members of the Bar and litigants that the Kolhapur circuit bench would eventually become permanent.
“I refuse to call this a mere circuit bench. It is a full-fledged bench in practice, and its formal permanent status is only a matter of time. It is an established reality carved in stone, and I assure you that no power can stop Kolhapur from having a permanent High Court Bench,” he said.
Justice Near People
He said that the bench has brought access to justice closer to people living in the six districts of the region.
“If a small landholder from Ratnagiri or Solapur’s border region must travel all the way to Mumbai, spending thousands on legal fees and lodging just to fight for half an acre of land, we must question whether true socio-economic justice is being served. The Kolhapur Bench bridges this gap,” the judge said.
More Judges
Justice Gavai also said that a proposal is being considered to increase the sanctioned number of judges at the Bombay High Court from 94 to 114. This would also help make more judges available at the Kolhapur bench.
He also noted concerns raised by advocates about revenue and tribunal-related matters, for which they often have to travel to Pune or Mumbai.
“In this era of decentralisation, justice must reach every taluka. Having a single Divisional Commissioner’s office for such a vast region is inadequate,” the judge said.
Local Offices
He called upon Cabinet minister and Kolhapur guardian minister Prakash Ambitkar to support the establishment of a divisional commissionerate and administrative tribunals in Kolhapur.
Strong Support
Justice Karnik of the Bombay High Court, who was the senior most judge when the bench was established, recalled the quick coordination between the executive and the judiciary that allowed the bench to be set up within one month.
He also spoke about the commitment shown by the bench and the local Bar. Recalling an incident that showed the dedication of senior advocates to the new seat, he said:
“Senior advocate KA Kapse approached me and said, ‘Treat me just as you would treat a junior advocate, because I want to learn. We don’t want the circuit bench to become just a glorified district court; we want to build it as a true High Court.’Seeing his determination, I knew the Kolhapur Circuit Bench would be 100 percent successful,” the judge said.
Justice for All
Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, the current ‘senior- most’ judge at the Kolhapur bench, said that the bench helps put the constitutional principle of access to justice into practice.
“The setting up of this circuit bench is giving life to the ideal ‘Justice for All’. The fact that there are almost 15,000 cases which were instituted in the last one year out of which almost 13,000 have been disposed off makes it evident that his vision for justice for all has assumed shape,” the judge said.
