Bombay HC's Fourth Bench To Begin In Kolhapur From August 18; 30-Year-Old Demand Of Legal Fraternity Fulfilled

Mumbai: In a historic development, the Bombay High Court will set up its fourth bench in Kolhapur from August 18, 2025, easing the burden on the principal bench in Mumbai and improving access to justice in western Maharashtra and southern Konkan.

Kolhapur Bench Notification Issued by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe

The move was formalised through a notification issued by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe on Friday. “I, Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, with the approval of the Governor of Maharashtra, appoint Kolhapur as a place at which Judges and Division Courts of the High Court may also sit, with effect from 18th August 2025,” the notification stated.

With this, the high court will now have benches in Mumbai (principal bench), Nagpur, Aurangabad, Goa, and Kolhapur.

The Kolhapur bench will have jurisdiction over the districts of Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. Details regarding the number of judges and other administrative aspects are expected to be announced next week.

CJI B.R. Gavai Expected to Inaugurate Long-Awaited Bench

Chief Justice of India BR Gavai is likely to inaugurate the Kolhapur bench, which has been a long-standing demand of the legal fraternity in the region. Advocates have argued that litigants are forced to travel long distances to Mumbai, leading to delays and increased expenses.

One of the strongest advocates for the bench has been CJI B.R. Gavai, who has, over the years, consistently supported the move. “An additional bench would improve access to justice for remote regions without undermining the high court’s reputation,” he had said during his visit to the city recently.

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Senior advocate and former AAWI president Rajiv Chavan welcomed the decision. “This was pending for more than 30 years. It has finally happened due to CJI Gavai, CJ Aradhe, and CM Devendra Fadnavis,” he said.

Uday Warunjikar of the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa added: “This is the second major decentralisation of the HC. Even the Supreme Court should consider decentralisation to ensure speedy justice.”