“Unwarranted Holiday on 2nd Dec. 2025 in Thane District, All the City Courts Shut Down: Why Should Litigants Suffer for Elections Not Being held in Their Areas on 2nd December, 2025?” “…Has Judicial Administration Failed to Consider Litigants’ Rights?”

Date: – 02.12.2025

To,
1. The Registrar General, Bombay High Court, Mumbai

2.The Principal District Judge, Thane,

3. The Principal District Judge, Pune,

4.  The Registrar/Personal Secretary to Chief Justice, High Court, Bombay,

5.  The District Collector, Thane

6. The Election Commissioner, State of Maharashtra, Mumbai.

6. The Advocates Bar Association of Thane District, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Ulhasnagar, Bhivandi, Mira Bhayanderand Pune Bar Association.

7.   The Chairman, Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa.

Subject: Representation regarding Administrative Circular declaring 2nd December 2025 as a District-wide Holiday – Request for Review and Clarification

Respected Sir,

1.       I, Adv. Anil Nivritti Bugde, having office at B/3/12/1:4/sector 3, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, appearing as a litigant-in-person and an officer of the Court, respectfully submit this representation concerning the administrative circular issued by the office of the Principal District Judge, Thane, declaring 2nd December 2025 as a holiday throughout the entire Thane District judiciary.

2.      The circular states that the declaration of holiday is in view of “local self-government elections”. However, it is an undisputed fact that no elections of Municipal Corporations are scheduled on that date in the major urban areas forming part of the Thane judicial district, namely:

• Thane Municipal Corporation
• Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation
• Mira–Bhayander Municipal Corporation
• Kalyan–Dombivli Municipal Corporation
• Bhiwandi–Nizampur Municipal Corporation
• Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation

3.      Each of these locations houses District & Sessions Courts and several subordinate courts, all of which are fully functional and not directly affected by municipal council elections.

4.      In other districts, a more rational and proportionate administrative approach has been adopted. For instance, the Principal District Judge, Pune, issued a circular clearly specifying that only those court establishments falling within municipal-council-election limits would remain closed, while courts situated within Municipal Corporation areas would continue judicial work.

5.       This contrast demonstrates that the Thane circular is extraordinarily wide, disproportionate, and lacking the usual administrative precision expected in matters impacting judicial functioning, case pendency, and the rights of litigants.

6.      Judicial administration must always reflect transparency, objectivity, proportionality, and a complete avoidance of even the perception of arbitrariness. By declaring a blanket holiday across the entire district despite the absence of elections in major Municipal Corporation areas, the circular creates a reasonable apprehension among litigants and the legal fraternity that the decision may not have been based on objective or territorially relevant criteria.

7.       It is respectfully submitted that such extraordinary administrative decisions should not create any impression that judicial independence or neutrality is under a cloud, particularly in a district as large, sensitive, and litigation-heavy as Thane.

8.      My limited and bona fide purpose is to safeguard the dignity of the judicial institution and to ensure that administrative powers affecting court functioning remain fully insulated from any perception of external influence or non-transparent decision-making.

9.      I request your kind and urgent consideration of this representation in the interest of institutional clarity, uniformity, and public confidence in the justice delivery system.

9.      I therefore humbly request:

1. That the circular be reconsidered, clarified, or corrected for record purposes;
2. That an explanatory note be issued, recording the administrative basis for declaring a district-wide holiday;
3. That future holiday declarations be issued with clear territorial demarcation and proportionality, consistent with practices followed in other districts.

Yours faithfully,

Adv. Anil Nivritti Bugde
    Litigant in Person)

Issued Purely on the purpose of gaining public confidence and for public interest by Ad. Anil Bugde, Advocate, High Court, Bombay.