Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi were informed on Monday, 18th May, that 20.19 acres of the total  30.16-acre land meant for the new Bombay High Court complex has now been handed over to the High Court. The remaining land will be transferred in phases before the end of the year.

Maharashtra’s Additional Government Pleader (AGP)  informed the Court that around 10 acres are still pending transfer. Out of this, 5.27 acres are expected to be handed over by 31 July and another 4.74 acres by 31 December.

Worried about the delay, the CJI asked AGP, “Why are you taking so much time? Then entire project will stand halted”.

The AGP replied that the phased transfer schedule matches the timelines mentioned in earlier affidavits and that the plans have already been placed before the High Court Steering Committee.

The bench directed the concerned authorities to speed up the transfer process and asked for a status report by 1 August. The Court also said that the Steering Committee should hear the Bombay Bar Association, the Advocates Association of Western India, and any other recognised Bar Association, “so that all stakeholders are taken on board before giving effect to the proposed project”.

The suo motu case was started in 2024 because of the rapidly deteriorating condition of the 150-year-old Bombay High Court building. The matter concerns allotment of land in Bandra for construction of a new High Court complex.

Earlier, 4.39 acres were transferred in October 2024. Another 5.25 acres, which was supposed to be transferred by December 2024, was finally handed over in January 2025.

In April 2025, the State told the Court that out of another 4.09 acres planned for transfer by 31 March, only 1.94 acres had been transferred. The remaining 2.15 acres was expected to be transferred by 30 April. At that stage, the total land transferred had reached 11.58 acres

Case Details: IN RE: HERITAGE BUILDING OF THE BOMBAY HIGH COURT AND ALLOTMENT OF ADDITIONAL LANDS FOR THE HIGH COURT, SMW (C) No(s). 5/2024