Kolhapur: The state government has assured to approach the Bombay high court indicating its support for setting up a circuit bench of the HC at Kolhapur.In May 2015, the state cabinet had given in-principle approval for setting up a circuit bench of the HC at Kolhapur. However, the cabinet also gave its nod for setting up the bench at Pune. Both cities have been demanding setting up of the HC bench for decades.On Wednesday, a delegation of lawyers, litigants and activists demanding setting up of the circuit bench of Bombay HC in Kolhapur met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai.During the meeting, the government authorities reiterated that former chief justice of HC Mohit Shah had given a report that favoured Kolhapur as the location to set up its next bench. Also, the authorities maintained that setting up the bench at Pune is against the rules of the HC.According to the HC, the bench of the HC should not be set up within 200 km radius from the main court. Accordingly, it was granted earlier to Aurangabad and Nagpur.Prashant Shinde, president of district bar association and convener of the action committee set up for the demand, said, “In the last letter written to the HC, the government had asked for a bench to be set up also at Pune if possible. Owing to this, the decision over the announcement of the bench at Kolhapur has been delayed.”“The chief minister has accepted that another letter will be written to the HC stating that the government is in favour of setting up of the bench in Kolhapur exclusively and accepted that owing to the rules, the bench cannot be set up at Pune. The CM has ordered the law department officials to immediately send the letter to the HC,” said Shinde.In addition to sending the letter to the HC, the CM accepted two other demands of the delegation led by veteran leader N D Patil. The action committee had estimated that around Rs 1,100 crore will be required for construction of the court building.Accordingly, Fadnavis assured the delegation that Rs 100 crore would be allocated for the work once the HC grants green signal for the bench to be set up at Kolhapur.The action committee has demanded 75 acres of land for construction of the court buildings. The delegation suggested land stretch at Shendapark under the state government's ownership for the purpose of construction of the court buildings.State revenue minister Chandrakant Patil, who was with the CM during the meeting, said, “The state government is also in favour of bench of HC in Kolhapur. The CM has assured the delegation that once chief justice of HC takes charge, the issue will be taken up with the HC again. The CM also said that funds will be allocated in the budget for the purpose.”Patil, who heads the newly-formed Kolhapur Urban Development Authority (KUDA), said that he will ask district collector Avinash Subhedar to hunt for the land of the size demanded by the action committee.

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