**Executive Summary**
This document is a notification from the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, dated August 11, 2025, announcing amendments to the "Bombay High Court Original Side Rules, 1980". These amendments primarily concern the establishment and operation of the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur. Several rules are modified to include the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur regarding the filing and disposal of cases. References and applications filed at Bombay prior to 18th August 2025, may be transferred for hearing to the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendments related to Circuit Bench at Kolhapur:**
* Rules 656, 670, 682, 694, and 706 are amended to include "or Circuit Bench at Kolhapur" after "Panaji-Goa Benches" and "or Kolhapur" after "Panaji-Goa" in proviso (1) of each rule.
* A new proviso (iv) is added after Proviso (iii) and before sub Rule (2) of Rule 1004, stating that references and applications arising in the judicial Districts of Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg and Solapur shall be presented to the Additional Registrar at Circuit Bench of Kolhapur. The cases shall be disposed of by the Judges sitting at the Kolhapur. The Chief Justice has the discretion to order any case arising in any such district to be heard at Bombay.
* References and applications filed at Bombay prior to August 18, 2025, may be transferred to the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur for hearing and final disposal, provided the advocate or party concerned obtains an order from the Court.
* Rule 1030 is amended to include "Kolhapur" after "Aurangabad" in relation to court location options.
* Paragraph 3 of Rule 4 in Appendix II is amended to stipulate that Election Petitions arising from the Judicial Districts of Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg, and Solapur shall be presented at Circuit Bench at Kolhapur.
* **Other Amendments:**
* Rule 4 in Appendix II is amended to include "Dhule" and remove "and Parbhani" after Osmanabad.
* Rule 23 of Appendix II is amended to require Advocates filing their Vakalatnamas in Petitions filed at Aurangabad, Goa and Circuit Bench at Kolhapur to give their office addresses at Aurangabad, Goa and Circuit Bench at Kolhapur.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholders:** Litigants/Parties from Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg and Solapur Districts
**Impact:** These parties will now have the option to file references, applications, and election petitions at the Circuit Bench in Kolhapur for cases arising in these districts.
**Action Required:** Be aware that after August 18, 2025, cases can be transferred for final disposal to the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur if they were filed in Bombay. They may need to present cases at the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur instead of Bombay High Court.
**Stakeholders:** Advocates practicing in Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg and Solapur Districts
**Impact:** Increased workload due to the availability of a local court.
**Action Required:** Provide office addresses at Aurangabad, Goa and Circuit Bench at Kolhapur when filing Vakalatnamas.
**Stakeholders:** Bombay High Court
**Impact:** Reduced workload in Bombay High Court.
**Action Required:** Transfer filed documents to the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur for filing at Bombay before August 18, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Bombay High Court Original Side Rules, 1980: The set of rules being amended by this notification.
High Court of Judicature at Bombay: The court issuing the notification and responsible for the rules being amended.
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908: A law under which the power to amend rules is exercised.
Circuit Bench at Kolhapur: A regional branch of the Bombay High Court, which is being assigned cases arising from specific districts.
Constitution of India: A law under which the power to amend rules is exercised.
RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/35527
महाराष्टट्रõ शासन राजपत्र
असाधारण भाग चार-क
वर्षष ११, अंक २८] सोमवार, ऑगस्ट ११, २०२५/श्राावण २०, शके १९४७ [पृष्टठे े२, किंकमं त : रुपये े९.००
असाधारण क्रमांक ४३
प्ाकिंधकृत प्काशन
महाराष्टट्र शासनाव्येकिंतररक्त इतर वैधाकिंनक प्ाकिंधकाऱ्येांनी तयेार केलेले
(भाग एक, एक-अ व एक-ल येांमध्येे प्किंसद्ध केलेले वैधाकिंनक किंनयेम व आदेश येांव्येकिंतररक्त इतर)
वैधाकिंनक किंनयेम व आदेश; येात भारत सरकार, उच्च न्येायेालये, पोलीस आयेुक्त, आयेुक्त (राज्ये उत्पादन शुल्क),
किंजल्हादंडाकिंधकारी व किंनवडणूक आयेोग, किंनवडणूक न्येायेाकिंधकरण, किंनवडणूक किंनणषये अकिंधकारी व किंनवडणूक आयेोगाखालील
इतर प्ाकिंधकारी येांनी तयेार केलेले वैधाकिंनक किंनयेम व आदेश येांचा समावेश होतो.
THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
ORIGINAL SIDE
NOTIFICATION
No. G/Amend/1231.—In exercise of the powers conferred Under Article 229 of the Constitution
of India and under Section 122 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, the Honourable the Chief
Justice and Judges of the Hon’ble Bombay High Court is hereby pleased to direct that the following
amendments shall be made to the “Bombay High Court Original Side Rules, 1980”.
1. In proviso (1) to Rule 656 of Chapter XXXV of the Principal Rules, insert “or Circuit
Bench at Kolhapur” after the words Panaji-Goa Benches, and insert “or Kolhapur” after the words
Panaji-Goa wherever it appears in the said proviso.
2. In proviso (1) to Rule 670 of Chapter XXXVI of the Principal Rules, insert “or Circuit
Bench at Kolhapur” after the words Panaji-Goa Benches, and insert “or Kolhapur” after the words
Panaji-Goa wherever it appears in the said proviso.
3. In proviso (1) to Rule 682 of Chapter XXXVII of the Principal Rules, insert “or Circuit
Bench at Kolhapur” after the words Panaji-Goa Benches, and insert “or Kolhapur” after the words
Panaji-Goa wherever it appears in the said proviso.
4. In proviso (1) to Rule 694 of Chapter XXXVIII of the Principal Rules, insert “or Circuit
Bench at Kolhapur” after the words Panaji-Goa Benches, and insert “or Kolhapur” after the words
Panaji-Goa wherever it appears in the said proviso.
5. In proviso (1) to Rule 706 of Chapter XXXIX of the Principal Rules, insert “or Circuit
Bench at Kolhapur” after the words Panaji-Goa Benches, and insert “or Kolhapur” after the words
Panaji-Goa wherever it appears in the said proviso.
(१)
भााग चाार-क-४३–१2 महाराष्टट्र शासन राजपत्र असाधारण भाग चार-क, ऑगस्ट ११, २०२५/श्राावण २०, शके १९४७
6. After Proviso (iii) and before sub Rule (2) of Rule 1004 of Chapter LVI of the Principal Rules,
add new Proviso (iv) as under :
(iv) Provided that References and Applications arising in the judicial Districts of Kolhapur,
Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg and Solapur which lie to the High Court at Bombay, shall
be presented to the Additional Registrar at Circuit Bench of Kolhapur and shall be disposed of
by the Judges sitting at the Kolhapur.
Provided further that the Chief Justice may, in his discretion, order that any case arising in
any such District shall be heard at Bombay.
7. After (2) (a) of Rule 1004 of Chapter LVI of the Principal Rules, add (2)(aa) as under :
“(2) (aa) References and Applications filed at Bombay prior to 18th August 2025, may be
transferred for hearing and final disposal to the Circuit Bench at Kolhapur, provided the Advocate
or the party concerned obtains an Order from the Court to that effect”.
8. In (e) of Rule 1030 of Chapter LVIII of the Principal Rules, insert “comma (,)” after the word
“Aurangabad”, and substitute “or Goa” with “Kolhapur or Goa”.
9. In Paragraph 2 of Rule 4 in Appendix II of the Principal Rules, insert “comma (,)” after the
word “Osmanabad” and substitute “and Parbhani” with “Dhule and Parbhani”.
10. In Paragraph 3 of Rule 4 in Appendix II of the Principal Rules, after the words “Election
Petitions arising from the”, insert “Judicial Districts Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg
and Solapur shall be presented at Circuit Bench at Kolhapur”.
11. In Clause (b) of Rule 23 of Appendix II of the Principal Rules, insert after the words office
address in Bombay “and Advocates filing their Vakalatnamas in Petitions filed at Aurangabad, Goa
and Circuit Bench at Kolhapur shall give their office addresses at Aurangabad, Goa and Circuit
Bench at Kolhapur as the case may be”.
High Court of Judicature at Bombay, SAMEER S. ADKAR,
Dated this 11th day of August, 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.