New Bombay HC building should be temple of justice, not seven-star hotel: CJI Gavai

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan Gavai said the upcoming new Bombay High Court complex here should avoid waste and be “a temple of justice, not a seven-star hotel”.

Addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of the complex in Bandra (East) on Wednesday (November 5, 2025), he emphasized the new building should not depict an imperial structure and instead be in tune with democratic values ​​imbibed in the Constitution.

The CJI suggested that the new complex should avoid “extravagance” and noted that “judges are no longer feudal lords” as they are appointed to serve ordinary citizens.

“Read in some newspapers that the building is exaggerated. One elevator has been made to be shared by two judges. Judges are no longer feudal lords. The judge may be from a high court, a tribunal or the Supreme Court. All institutions, including the judiciary, executive and legislature, work to serve the last citizen of the country as per the Constitution. To provide justice to the society,” the CJI said.

He placed emphasis on preserving the grandeur and iconic structure of the building. “When we plan courthouse buildings, we focus on the needs of judges, but we must not forget that we exist for the needs of citizens and litigants,” he said.

“This building should be a temple of justice, not a seven-star hotel,” he said.

The CJI, who took office on May 14, 2025, said this was his last visit to Maharashtra before leaving the top judicial post on November 24 and noted that he was satisfied with the judicial infrastructure in his state.

“Earlier, I was reluctant to be a part of this event. But now, as a judge who once served in the Bombay High Court, I am grateful to end my tenure by laying the foundation stone of the finest court building in the entire country. The judiciary, legislature and executive must work within the framework of the Constitution to provide justice to the society.”

“Today is a very important moment, an important turning point in the history of the Bombay High Court,” he said.

CJI Gavai revealed that he was initially reluctant to attend the groundbreaking ceremony but changed his mind after he was told that it was not known when a Bombay High Court judge would occupy the country’s highest judicial office again.

He said that once completed, the building will be the most iconic structure on the Western Express Highway in Mumbai.

The CJI disagreed with the criticism that Maharashtra was lagging behind in providing infrastructure to the judiciary and stated that he had laid foundations or inaugurated many judicial buildings in the state during his short tenure. He insisted that the judiciary exists to serve litigants who come to seek justice.

“The bar association and the bench are the two wheels of the golden chariot of the institution of justice,” the CJI said.

In his speech, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the new building will complement the existing historic structure of the Bombay High Court, which has witnessed many milestones and turning points in the history of the country since 1862.

He stated that the old HC building in South Mumbai was completed with an expenditure of Rs 16,000 crore and even Rs 300 crore was saved from the allocated funds.

The CM said that he has asked renowned architect Hafeez Contractor, who is involved in the project, to ensure that the grandeur of the new building remains democratic and not imperialistic.

He said the government’s legal officers should have good space for their offices in newly expanded buildings. “We (the government) are the biggest parties in the case and there should be room for our legal officers too,” the CM said.

Mr. Fadnavis said he is confident that the new HC building will be AI-enabled and will be completed on time.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar stated that the groundbreaking ceremony is a historic moment and a new era in the 150-year history of the Bombay High Court.

He stated that 15 decares of land have already been transferred for the project, and the remaining 15 decares will be delivered by March 2026. It has been reported that the new complex will be spread over an area of ​​50 lakh square metres.

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde also expressed confidence that the upcoming complex will be iconic.

The entire project will cost more than ₹4,000 crore, but there will be no shortage of funds for the complex, he said.

Mr. Shinde stated that the new building will complement the existing HC structure at Fort in South Mumbai.

It was published – 06 November 2025 09:20 IST