Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has released the official sitting list for its newly established Kolhapur Circuit Bench, which will commence functioning from August 18. The bench will operate with one division bench and two single-judge benches, covering six districts in western Maharashtra.
According to Thursday’s notification, Justice M.S. Karnik, currently posted at the principal seat in Mumbai, will preside over the division bench alongside Justice Sharmila Deshmukh. Justice Shivkumar Dige and Justice S.G. Chapalgaonkar will lead the single-judge benches.
Jurisdiction Spans Six Districts
The division bench will hear key matters including Public Interest Litigation petitions, civil writ petitions, first appeals, family court appeals, contempt appeals, and other civil and criminal cases within its jurisdiction. The bench will cater to cases from Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts.
Justice Dige’s single bench will handle criminal appeals, criminal revision applications, bail pleas, and other criminal matters assigned to a single judge. Justice Chapalgaonkar’s single bench will focus on civil writ petitions, civil applications, and other civil matters within the single-judge domain.
Also Read: Decentralising Justice: Bombay High Court Bench Set to Start Functioning in Kolhapur from August 18
Inauguration by CJI Gavai
The inauguration ceremony for the Kolhapur Circuit Bench will take place on August 17 at 3:30 p.m. and will be presided over by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai.
The establishment of the circuit bench marks a significant step towards enhancing judicial accessibility for litigants in western Maharashtra. It is expected to ease case backlogs at the principal seat in Mumbai by enabling faster resolution of cases from the six covered districts.
