Mumbai: HC asks state govt to take decision on allotment of land for new High Court building

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday urged the State of Maharashtra to take a decision for allotment of land for the new High Court building. 

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne asked the government while hearing a plea seeking contempt of court action against State government authorities for non-compliance of a High Court order on land allotment.

The Court clarified at the outset that they were aware of the delays and the exigencies on the issue, but they were also aware that the State had made progress in the matter. 

“We have not taken cognizance of the contempt. We have not issued notice of contempt. The stage (on land allotment) has gone further. The committee board has discussed. Things have moved forward, Now it is about coming out with a government resolution. We understand the delay and the exigencies, but some decision has to be taken”, the Court emphasized. 

Advocate General Birendra Saraf sought two weeks’ time to take instructions on the latest position on the land allotment which he will then inform the Court. He requested the Court to dispose of the contempt petition on this statement.

Petitioner in person, Ahmed Abdi, argued that the contempt petition had been pending for 6 years and yet the State had not taken any action. He added that they were only hearing about updates on the subject of land allotment from the media, but there been no formal resolution or notification from the government.