The Kolhapur Circuit Bench of the Bombay High Court is all set to begin its journey of delivering justice closer to the people. The inaugural ceremony of this newly established bench will take place on Sunday, 17th August, at 3:30 p.m. at the High Court Building, Dasera Chowk, Kolhapur.

The Chief Justice of India, Bhushan Gavai, will formally inaugurate the bench. The ceremony will be graced by the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, among other dignitaries.

The event will be presided over by Justice Makarand S. Karnik, the Administrative Judge of the Kolhapur Circuit Bench. Following the official inauguration, a public function will be held at Merryweather Ground, Nagala Park, Kolhapur to mark the occasion.

The Bombay High Court has issued the sitting list for its newly established circuit bench, which will commence sittings from August 18. According to the notification, the bench will operate with one division bench and two single-judge benches.

The division bench, comprising Justice M.S. Karnik (presently at the principal seat in Mumbai) and Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, will hear Public Interest Litigations (PILs), civil writ petitions, first appeals, family court appeals, contempt appeals, and all other civil and criminal matters falling within the division bench’s jurisdiction from the districts of Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg.

The single-judge bench of Justice Shivkumar Dige will take up criminal appeals, criminal revision applications, bail applications, and other criminal matters within a single judge’s jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the single-judge bench of Justice S.G. Chapalgaonkar will hear civil writ petitions, civil applications, and other civil matters assigned to a single judge.