Bombay High Court.
Bombay High Court Kolhapur Bench: KOLHAPUR – The long-standing demand for a Bombay High Court bench in Kolhapur has been fulfilled, with a new circuit bench set to begin functioning in the city from August 18, 2025. The establishment of the bench, which will serve six districts in western Maharashtra and the Konkan region, was officially announced in a gazette notification dated August 1, 2025.
Chief Justice Alok Aradhe of the Bombay High Court, with the approval of the Governor of Maharashtra, issued the notification, exercising powers conferred under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. “I…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.
The new bench is expected to significantly ease the burden on litigants and lawyers from Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts, who previously had to travel to Mumbai for high court matters.
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Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the law portfolio, expressed his “extreme delight” at the development. In a post on X, he hailed the new bench as the fulfillment of a “struggle for many years” and a facility that would benefit thousands of citizens. Fadnavis noted his persistent efforts in pursuing the matter since his first term as Chief Minister.
“This will undoubtedly provide significant assistance in making the administration of justice more efficient,” Fadnavis wrote, adding that it would also save “the time, effort, and money of the citizens.” He concluded his message by offering “heartfelt congratulations to the citizens and lawyers of the region.”
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The Chief Minister also extended his gratitude to Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai and Chief Justice Alok Aradhe for their pivotal roles in making the circuit bench a reality.
The Bombay High Court, in addition to its principal seat in Mumbai, currently has benches in Nagpur and Aurangabad in Maharashtra, as well as in Panaji, Goa. The Kolhapur bench marks a significant expansion of the court’s reach, aiming to bring justice closer to the people of the region.
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READ NOTIFICATION: Bombay High Court Kolhapur Bench Notification
