Pune: The Pune Cantonment Court is currently grappling with over 30,000 pending cases. For years, there have been demands to provide the Cantonment Court with an independent space to improve its functioning.
The Pune Bar Association has requested the Bombay High Court to increase the number of judicial chambers to expedite the resolution of pending cases.
The British-era Cantonment Court building on Mahatma Gandhi Road in the Camp area has become old and is undergoing repairs. Consequently, the Cantonment Court has recently been relocated to Mahatma Phule Cultural Bhavan in Wanawadi.
Previously, there were three judicial chambers, and considering the volume of cases, an additional chamber has been opened. This expansion is expected to benefit both litigants and lawyers.
According to Pune Bar Association President Advocate Santosh Khamkar, another chamber will be operational within a month, bringing the total to five chambers, thus facilitating faster case resolutions.
The current temporary setup at Mahatma Phule Cultural Bhavan lacks adequate infrastructure, impacting court operations. The Cantonment Court's relocation from the British-era building was essential.
Since June 27, the court has been operating from Mahatma Phule Cultural Bhavan. The addition of more judicial chambers aims to address the delay in hearings due to the high volume of cases.
Advocate Prasad Nikam mentioned that the five police stations - Hadapsar, Cantonment, Wanawadi, Kondhwa, and Mundhwa - under the court's jurisdiction will have separate courts for their daily remand cases, reducing the load on each chamber.
Key Developments:
Relocation: The Cantonment Court moved to Mahatma Phule Cultural Bhavan on June 27
Increased Chambers: The number of judicial chambers has been increased from three to five
Pending Cases: Over 30,000 cases are currently pending
Infrastructure: The temporary setup at Mahatma Phule Cultural Bhavan is being used until permanent facilities are provided
Benefits: The expansion will reduce delays, benefiting litigants, lawyers, and the judicial system
