**Executive Summary**
This document is a notification from the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Appellate Side, announcing the Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2025. The rules amend the Bombay High Court Appellate Side Rules, 1960. These rules come into force on a date appointed by the Chief Justice via notification. The notification is dated December 23, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Short Title and Commencement:**
* The rules are called "The Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2025."
* They come into force on a date appointed by the Chief Justice.
* **Application:**
* The rules apply to proceedings pending or filed on or after the commencement date.
* **Definitions:**
* "Goa Amendments" refers to amendments to principal rules (vide notification No. P. 1602/2014, dated 29.09.2014).
* "Official Gazette" means the Gazette of the Government of Maharashtra or the Government of Goa.
* "Principal rules" means the Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) Rules, 1960.
* **Amendments to Principal Rules & Goa Amendments:**
* Sub-clause (ii) of clause (h) of rule 2 (II) of Chapter-I of the principal rules is deleted.
* Sub-clause (ii) of clause (h) of rule 2 (II) of Chapter-I of the Goa Amendments is deleted.
* A new clause (j) is inserted after the existing clause (i) of rule 2 (II) of Chapter-I of the principal rules and Goa Amendments, including all applications for quashing a First Information Report (FIR), Crime Report (CR), Charge-sheet or Order directing investigation.
* **Substitution in Principal Rules & Goa Amendments:**
* In clause (4) of rule 18 of Chapter-XVII, "except" is substituted with "including".
**Impact Analysis**
**Key Stakeholders: Litigants and Lawyers practicing on the Appellate Side of the Bombay High Court**
* **Impact:**
* These rules affect the procedure for filing and processing applications, particularly those related to quashing FIRs, Crime Reports, Charge-sheets, or orders directing investigation, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India simpliciter or read with Article 227 of the Constitution of India, or under section 482 of the Code/section 528 of the Sanhita simpliciter or read with Article 226 and/or Article 227 of the Constitution of India, as the case may be.
* **Action Required:**
* Familiarize themselves with the updated rules to ensure compliance in ongoing and future proceedings.
* Adapt their practices to the new requirements regarding application procedures and the scope of applicable rules.
Key Entities Referenced
Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) Rules, 1960: The principal rules being amended by this notification.
Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2025: The rules introduced by this notification, amending the Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) Rules, 1960.
Maharashtra High Court (Hearing of Writ Petitions by Division Bench and Abolition of Letters Patent Appeals) Act, 1986: One of the Acts that confers powers to make the amendment.
Goa High Court (Hearing of Writ Petitions by Division Bench and Abolition of Letters Patent Appeals), Act, 2013: One of the Acts that confers powers to make the amendment.
Constitution of India: Referenced in the notification as one of the bases of power and jurisdiction.
RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/35527
महाारााष्ट्र� शाासन रााजपत्र
असाधााराण भााग चाारा-क
वर्षष ११, अंक ४७] मंगळवारा, डि�संबरा २३, २०२५/पौर्ष २, शाके १९४७ [पष्ृठे े२, डिकमं त : रुपये े९.००
असाधााराण क्रमांक ६९
प्रााडिधाकृत प्राकाशान
महाारााष्ट्र शाासनाव्येडितरिराक्त इतरा वैधााडिनक प्रााडिधाकाऱ्येांनी तयेारा केलेेलेे
(भााग एक, एक-अ व एक-ले येांमध्येे प्राडिसद्ध केलेेलेे वैधााडिनक डिनयेम व आदेेशा येांव्येडितरिराक्त इतरा)
वैधााडिनक डिनयेम व आदेेशा; येात भाारात सराकारा, उच्चा न्येायेालेये, पोलेीस आयेुक्त, आयेुक्त (रााज्ये उत्पादेन शाुल्क),
डिजल्हाादें�ाडिधाकाराी व डिनव�णूक आयेोग, डिनव�णूक न्येायेाडिधाकराण, डिनव�णूक डिनणषये अडिधाकाराी व डिनव�णूक आयेोगाखाालेीले
इतरा प्रााडिधाकाराी येांनी तयेारा केलेेलेे वैधााडिनक डिनयेम व आदेेशा येांचाा समावेशा हाोतो.
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
APPELLATE SIDE
NOTIFICATION
No. Rule/P.1604/30/2025.— In exercise of the powers conferred by the proviso to section 2 of
the Maharashtra High Court (Hearing of Writ Petitions by Division Bench and Abolition of Letters
Patent Appeals) Act, 1986 and proviso to section 2 of the Goa High Court (Hearing of Writ Petitions
by Division Bench and Abolition of Letters Patent Appeals), Act, 2013 read with Article 225 of the
Constitution of India and all other enabling powers, the High Court of Bombay, with the previous
publication of the draft rules, is hereby pleased to make following rules to amend the Bombay High
Court Appellate Side Rules, 1960, namely :—
The Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2025.
1. Short title, application and commencement. - (1) These rules may be called “ The Bombay
High Court (Appellate Side) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2025.”
(2) These rules shall come into force on such date as the Chief Justice, by notification, appoint
and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of these rules and any reference in
any such provision to the commencement of these rules shall be construed as a reference to the
commencement of that provision.
(3) These rules shall apply to the proceedings which are pending on the date of commencement
of these rules or filed on or after the said date.
(१)
भााग चाार-क-६९–१2 महाारााष्ट्र शाासन रााजपत्र असाधााराण भााग चाारा-क, डि�संबरा २३, २०२५/पौर्ष २, शाके १९४७
2. Definitions.- Unless the context requires otherwise,—
(a) “Goa Amendments” means the amendments to the principal rules vide notification No.
P. 1602/2014, dated 29.09.2014 and published in the Official Gazette dated 09.10.2014 of Goa.
(b) “Official Gazette” means the Gazette of the Government of Maharashtra or the
Government of Goa, as the case may be.
(c) “principal rules” means the Bombay High Court (Appellate Side) Rules, 1960 ;
3. Delete sub-clause (ii) of clause (h) of rule 2 (II) of Chapter-I of the principal rules.
4. Delete sub-clause (ii) of clause (h) of rule 2 (II) of Chapter-I of the Goa Amendments.
5. Insert the following as clause (j) after the existing clause (i) of rule 2 (II) of Chapter-I of
the principal rules:
“(j) All applications for quashing a First Information Report (FIR), Crime Report
(CR), Charge-sheet or Order directing investigation under sub-section (3) of section
156 of the Criminal Procedure Code or sub-section (3) of section 175 of the Bharatiya
Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, irrespective of whether such applications have been filed
under Article 226 of the Constitution of India simpliciter or read with Article 227 of
the Constitution of India, or under section 482 of the Code/section 528 of the Sanhita
simpliciter or read with Article 226 and/or Article 227 of the Constitution of India, as
the case may be.”.
6. Insert the following as clause (j) after the existing clause (i) of Rule 2(II) of Chapter I of the
Goa Amendments:
“(j) All applications for quashing a First Information Report (FIR), Crime Report
(CR), Charge-sheet or order directing investigation under sub-section (3) of section
156 of the Criminal Procedure Code or sub-section (3) of section 175 of the Bharatiya
Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, irrespective of whether such applications have been filed
under Article 226 of the Constitution of India simpliciter or read with Article 227 of
the Constitution of India, or under section 482 of the Code/section 528 of the Sanhita
simpliciter or read with Article 226 and/or Article 227 of the Constitution of India, as
the case may be.”.
7. In clause (4) of rule 18 of Chapter-XVII of the principal rules, substitute the word “except”
with the word “including”.
8. In clause (4) of rule 18 of Chapter-XVII of the Goa Amendments, substitute the word “except”
with the word “including”.
High Court of Judicature at Bombay
Appellate Side, Bombay.
S. C. KHATI,
Dated the 23rd December, 2025. Registrar General.
ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR,
RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD,
MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS,
21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.