Expedite Grant Of Space To Maharashtra National Law University Before New Batch Starts, Bombay HC Directs State

Bombay High Court has directed the state government to temporarily accommodate the Maharashtra National Law University(MNLU) by entering into an agreement with MTNL in order to get two floors in the MTNL building in Powai.

The bench of Justices Manjula Chellur and GS Kulkarni directed the state to "expeditiously" provide a space measuring 10,000 square feet in the MTNL building in Powai before February 25 so that the new academic year can begin in the new premises.

The bench passed these directions on January 13 while hearing a PIL filed by an advocate Pradeep Havnur. Speaking to Livelaw, Datta Mane who was appearing for Havnur in the matter stated that “It is an obligation on part of the State to provide financial aid to MNLU. It is also imperative that the university is provided with adequate infrastructure in order to maintain libraries and study halls.”

The MNLU has been functioning from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences campus in Deonar, Mumbai. Two classrooms have provided by TISS for the law university. Upon enquiry by the petitioner it was revealed that according to the MNLU Act 2014, 60 acres of land was to be allotted for the said University in Gorai, however no steps were taken by the state government in the last six months to allot any space for the University, the petition said.

MNLU is a part of CLAT and the first batch of students got admissions in 2015. The University offers a five year under graduate course in BA(LLB) and also a one year LLM course.

The petition also states that certain students who took admission in MNLU initially dropped out later due to lack of proper infrastructure.

This article has been made possible because of financial support from Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation.