For two days, on 23rd and 24th April 2026, the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Shri Chandrashekhar, personally presided over a Division Bench at the Kolhapur Circuit Bench. This marked a historic first, making him the only Chief Justice so far to sit and hear matters at Kolhapur. The visit created a wave of enthusiasm among members of the Kolhapur Bar.

During his visit, the Chief Justice inaugurated several key facilities at the bench: An additional courtroom at the Kolhapur Bench site (the same premises earlier inaugurated by former Chief Justice of India Shri Bhushan Gavai), a dedicated office for the Union of India, and a much-needed dispensary at the Circuit Bench.

He also visited the proposed permanent High Court site at Shenda Park, along with other judges and members of the Bar. Although the State Government has already allotted 23 acres of land, the Chief Justice noted that this would not be enough. Keeping in mind the future needs—such as court buildings, residences for judges, and staff housing—he directed the local administration to identify an additional 50 acres of land nearby.

At a function organized by the Bar Association, the Chief Justice expressed satisfaction with the quality of judicial work and case disposal at the Kolhapur Bench. He also shared confidence that the Circuit Bench may soon be converted into a permanent Bench of the Bombay High Court. Addressing young lawyers, he highlighted that Kolhapur offers valuable opportunities to learn and grow as competent advocates.

The event was attended by several key members of the judiciary and Bar, including Administrative Judge Justice Madhav Jamdar, Justices A.L. Pansare, M.W. Chandwani, Pravin Patil, Sachin Deshmukh, and Ranjit Bhonsale, along with Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, Advocate General Milind Sathe, Government Pleaders Neha Bhide, Shishir Hire and President of the Kolhapur District Bar Association V.R Patil.

An important highlight of the visit was the growing unity within the Bar. The divide between local lawyers and those who had shifted from Mumbai to practice at the Kolhapur Circuit Bench appears to have been largely bridged. This positive change is widely attributed to the consistent efforts of Justice Madhav Jamdar, who, as administrative judge, has worked to bring different factions of the Bar together.

Overall, the visit was a truly significant and hopeful moment, signalling real progress towards making the Kolhapur Bench a permanent High Court Bench.