The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government to issue an order by September 7 for handing over the land at Bandra-Kurla complex to the Bombay High Court for construction of its new building.
The top court, hearing a suo motu case titled 'Heritage Building of the Bombay High Court and allotment of additional lands for the High Court', also directed the state government to pass another order to declare the high court building's project as 'vital' to ensure that it does not get affected due to enforcement of the model code of conduct for assembly polls in Maharashtra.
A special bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices BR Gavai and JB Pardiwala also asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, to coordinate with the chairperson of the Bank of India with regard to handing over the possession of a certain portion of a building in Mumbai for shifting few facilities of the high court there.
At the outset of the proceedings, the bench asked about the progress made so far in the case. Advocate General of Maharashtra, Birendra Saraf, said that there was significant progress and the state government was taking steps to hand over possession of land to the high court and the first phase will be over by September 10.
The bench said so far as the alternate premises at CPO complex and the Bank of India building are concerned, the repair work has to be expedited so that the high court can use these facilities. The solicitor general said the Centre would be giving all support promptly.
