Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge, who is set to become Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, leaves the Bombay High Court after a 13-year tenure marked by sharp courtroom observations, suo motu interventions and several consequential orders. His elevation will also trigger a fresh start in some high-profile matters, including the challenge to Maharashtra’s 10% Maratha quota law, which his bench had heard in 21 sittings.

Known for his forthright observations, Justice Ghuge once told lawyers whose courtroom language he found too casual: “The language needs to undergo a serious change… You should show some respect.” On another occasion, warning government officers, he stressed the need to respect the “majesty of law”.

Justice Ghuge’s departure means the Maratha quota challenge will be heard afresh by another bench, the second reset since 2024. The matter concerns Maharashtra’s 2024 legislation granting 10% reservation to the Maratha community.

His FDA-related cases will also move to a new bench. While hearing petitions challenging action by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration, Justice Ghuge praised Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe’s drive but criticised officials for “shooting first and asking questions later” and “killing mosquitoes with a sword”.

Appointed Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court in June, Justice Ghuge was born on July 9, 1966. The son of former Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University vice-chancellor V B Ghuge, he studied law in Kolhapur and Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) and practised for 23 years before being elevated to the High Court in June 2013.

At the principal seat in Mumbai, his recent orders included halting further steps to convert Bandra’s Neville D’Souza football ground into a convention centre and directing an SIT probe into recruitments across educational institutions, including those linked to politicians and VIPs.


His bench also permitted the clearing of 847 mangroves for a bullet-train project-linked transmission line as an “exceptional measure”, while cautioning against future deviations from compensatory-afforestation norms.

Earlier, he stayed the bail granted to Shiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre in a case involving alleged assault on civic doctors, later granting bail on the condition that Mhatre leave Maharashtra until commencement of the trial.

Story continues below this ad

Justice Ghuge denied terminating a minor’s 28-week pregnancy, which the Supreme Court set aside, holding the “court cannot compel any woman to complete her pregnancy”. His remark while dismissal of CPI(M) Gaza ‘genocide’ protest plea as “short-sighted,” was later termed by Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of SC ‘very amusing’.

At the Aurangabad Bench, he initiated proceedings on the the ‘grim situation’ in government schools, Covid management, nylon manjha menace, water supply crisis, pressed authorities over vacancies in government medical colleges, mandated displays at charitable hospitals and took cognisance of children crossing a dam reservoir on thermocol rafts.