Supreme Court Upholds Kolhapur Bench of Bombay High Court

“The establishment of the Kolhapur bench is in consonance with the constitutional vision of bringing justice closer to the people and it does not infringe Article 21 in any manner. The decision facilitates access to justice for litigants from a region which is geographically distant from the principal seat of the High Court. The Constitution does not envisage a single model for judicial administration. It permits institutional discretion to be exercised within the framework of law to meet practical and geographical needs.”

“There is no material to suggest that the Chief Justice acted unilaterally in disregard of the institutional inputs and relevant considerations. Even assuming that the consultative process would not conform to the petitioner’s expectations, this circumstance by itself would not vitiate the exercise of power under Section 51(3).”