HC pulls up Maha govt for delaying land allotment for new court building

The Bombay High Court on Monday rapped the Maharashtra government for delaying land allotment for the new court building in suburban Bandra, noting that the condition of the existing structure in south Mumbai was bad and lives of judicial officers were in peril because of it. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor expressed displeasure with the state government for dragging its feet on the issue, and said it does not want to create an "unsavoury situation". The bench was hearing a petition by lawyer Ahmed Abdi, alleging that the government had not complied with the high court's 2018 order on land allotment for the court building. Last year, the government informed the bench that approval was given to grant 30 acres of land for a new high court building in Bandra, and the process was on to make necessary changes in the state revenue records, after which possession would be handed over. Additional government pleader Abhay Patki informed the court