Bombay High Court Inaugurates Kolhapur Circuit Bench Next Week

In a significant development, the Bombay High Court has announced the establishment of a new Circuit Bench in Kolhapur, which will be inaugurated by the Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai on August 17, 2025. The Bench, comprising Justice M.S. Karnik and Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh, will begin operations the following day, August 18, 2025.

According to the court's notification, the new Kolhapur Circuit Bench will hear a wide range of civil and criminal matters, including public interest litigations, writ petitions, family court appeals, tax-related cases, and criminal appeals. The Single Benches will be presided over by Justice Shivkumar Dige and Justice S.G. Chapalgaonkar, who will handle criminal and civil matters, respectively.

The court has emphasized that matters involving senior citizens, marginalized sections, and those pending for more than five years with the accused in jail will be given priority. Additionally, the judges designated to handle election petitions will set aside a day each week to deal with such cases.

The establishment of the Kolhapur Circuit Bench is expected to improve access to justice and reduce the burden on the main Bombay High Court, as it will cater to the legal needs of the surrounding districts of Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, Solapur, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg.