Pune Lawyers Renew Demand for Bombay High Court Circuit Bench, Threaten Judicial Shutdown from August 1

Pune, 19th July 2025: Lawyers in Pune have reignited their long-standing demand for the establishment of a circuit bench of the Bombay High Court in the city. Frustrated by decades of delay, the Pune Bar Association (PBA) has issued an ultimatum to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and the Governor of Maharashtra, warning that if their demand is not addressed within 10 days, they will initiate a judicial boycott across all courts in Pune district starting August 1.

The demand for a bench in Pune is not new. A resolution to set up a High Court bench here was passed by the Maharashtra Legislature in 1978. Advocates argue that despite repeated representations over the years, there has been no concrete progress on the issue. Currently, nearly 70% of the total workload of the Bombay High Court comes from western Maharashtra, making Pune a logical choice for a circuit bench, they say.

“The absence of a bench causes immense hardship to litigants and delays justice. Government employees and ordinary citizens are forced to travel to Mumbai for hearings, which adds to their financial and emotional burden,” said Adv. Hemant Zanjad, President of the Pune Bar Association.
“We are not opposed to Kolhapur getting a bench, but Pune’s case is equally—if not more—compelling based on the volume of pending cases.”

The PBA has resolved to intensify its efforts by submitting fresh representations to the Chief Minister, State Law and Justice Minister, and the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. Local MLAs will also be approached with a formal resolution during the upcoming legislative session to garner political support.

In addition, the Bar Association plans to engage the public through a series of awareness activities, including a signature campaign, a march, and a social media outreach programme. These measures will be coordinated by the Bench Action Committee, which will hold a meeting soon to finalise the strategy.

This is not the first time Pune lawyers have taken a stand. In 2015, they launched a 16-day work stoppage demanding a bench, which garnered widespread attention but did not yield the desired result.

With growing frustration and no resolution in sight, the legal fraternity in Pune is once again prepared to take strong action. If the demand remains unmet by the end of the ultimatum period, the proposed judicial shutdown could significantly affect legal proceedings across the district, intensifying pressure on the state government and judiciary to act.