Bombay HC raps state for not providing land for MNLU campus
After hearing the submissions, the court said that it was unable to understand why the issue had been pending for more than 18 months.
Mumbai: The Bombay high court rapped the state for not being able to provide land for constructing the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) campus while it was able to dedicate time for conducting mega events.
The court asked the principal secretary of the revenue and forest department to be present in court and justify the failure of his department in providing clear title of land reserved at Gorai or an alternative plot for the varsity.
A division bench of justices S.C. Dharmadhikari and Bharati Dangare was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Pradeep Havnur, seeking directions to the state to allot land for the MNLU campus.
That the law university had to operate from loaned premises due to which it was unable to function to its full capacity prompted filing of the petition.
Senior counsel Milind Sathe who appeared on behalf of advocate Havnur informed the court that while the state had identified and allotted a plot in Gorai to the university, a large part of it was later handed over to the Airport Authority of India (AAI) as a result of which the university committee could not start development work on the plot.
After hearing the submissions, the court said that it was unable to understand why the issue had been pending for more than 18 months.