Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has requested the government to provide at the earliest possession of the land at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on which the new high court complex will be constructed. The request was made after the court was informed that there are unauthorised structures on the land.
The government informed a division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor that the High Power Committee (HPC) meetings will commence soon to discuss the new complex.
GR on March 30
A resolution was issued by the government on March 30 to allot 30.16 acres of land in Bandra for the construction of a new building for the court. A memorandum was signed with the Public Works Department (PWD) for this purpose as the land was presently reserved for government housing.
On June 14, 2023, the government called upon the high court registrar to depute a representative to take advance possession of the land.
During the hearing on Wednesday, Advocate General Birendra Saraf said that the government will require some time to change the reservation to one for a commercial complex from a residential area.
The bench requested the AG to convey to the concerned officers to ensure that possession of the vacant land is handed over to the high court administration.
Next hearing on Oct 11
“We are trying to take possession of vacant land as soon as possible. We are simultaneously internally asking the state officers… For possession, I am told there are structures on the land. The state may have its own problems and difficulties. Request your officers to give a vacant possession of the land at the earliest as possible,” the CJ said.
The court also said it will convey to the government what it requires in the new complex.
The court has kept the matter for hearing on October 11.
