V.L. ACHLIYA

B.Sc (Mathematics),LL.B.,LL.M. 2013-2021

He was born on 13th February, 1959 at Village Pimpalkhuta, District Amravati in an Agriculturist family. He did his B.Sc (Mathematics) in the year 1981 from Shri. Brijlal Biyani Science College, Amravati and LL.B. in the year 1984 from Nagpur University in First Division with a distinction in 3 subjects. Thereafter, he did his LL.M. in the year 1988 from Pune University with specialization in Criminal and Corporate Law.

He enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa on 29th October, 1984. He then joined the Chambers of Late Advocate Shri. S. Z. Patil, an eminent lawyer of the region and the Dean of Faculty of Law, Amravati University. He practiced mostly on Civil and Criminal side. He also worked in Labour, Industrial, Co-operative Courts and before Revenue authorities. He was Honorary part time lecturer in Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh College of Law, Amravati during the period 1988-1997. He also worked as an Honorary part time lecturer in Post Graduate Department of Law, Amravati University for 2 years.

During the period 1985-86 he was Secretary of District Bar Association, Amravati. He was Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor at Amravati during the period 1993-1997. He was a Standing Counsel for Municipal Corporation, Amravati, Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd., United Insurance Co. Ltd., National Insurance Co. Ltd., National Insurance Co. Ltd., Bank of Maharashtra, Municipal Council, Morshi and other institutions.

After practising as an Advocate for 13 years, he joined the Judicial Service as a Judge, City Civil and Sessions Court, Gr. Bombay on 26th November, 1997. He worked as a Joint District and Additional Sessions Judge, Nagpur from 8th Dec, 1997 to 7th Dec, 1999. During this period he handled number of important Civil and Criminal cases. He was appointed as a Court Commissioner by High Court of Judicature of Bombay, Bench at Nagpur, to submit a report in respect of the overall conditions of inmates and under trial prisoners lodged in the Central Prison at Nagpur. After visiting Central Prison for 9 days and after interacting with more than 500 prisoners he submitted a detailed report within a record time of 15 days which was widely appreciated by the Division Bench of the High Court. The said report, provided a basis to issue various directions by High Court to State Government and other functionaries of State Government to improve the overall conditions of the prisoners as well as the Administration of Central Prison. The improvement brought about various changes which ultimately resulted into ISO Certificate to Central Prison, Nagpur. It also resulted into release of more than 600 undertrial prisoners languishing in jail for months together.

During the period 8thDec, 1999 to 30th June, 2005 he worked as a Judge, City Civil and Additional Session Judge, Gr. Bombay. During this period he was assigned various important assignments on Civil as well as Criminal side. He conducted the Trial of 1997-1998 Railway Serial Bomb Blast Case which was the first Judgment in a Serial Bomb Blast Cases in Mumbai. . He was then appointed as a Designated Judge of M.P.I.D, Court, City Civil and Sessions Court, Bombay. He was posted as the Registrar, S.I.D/Vigilance, High Court, Bombay w.e.f. 1st of July, 2005 and worked there till 13th February 2009. He was then posted as Principal District and Session Judge, Pune from 16th February, 2009 to 8th March 2010.

On the recommendation of High Court, the Government of Maharashtra was pleased to appoint him as the Principal Secretary and Remembrancer of Legal Affairs, Law and Judiciary Department, Government of Maharashtra. He worked on the said post from 9th March, 2010 to 20th October, 2013. During his tenure, the budgetary allocation for infrastructure development of subordinate judiciary increased from Rs. 80-90 crores to Rs. 430 crore. During his tenure, the allocation for Non-Plan expenditure to Judiciary increased manifolds. He got approved more than 500 additional posts of ministrial staff for High Court and more than 300 posts of judicial officers in Subordinate Judiciary. He also got imnplemented recommendation of Hon'ble Padmanabhan Pay Commission for Subordinate Judicial Officers and the recommendation of Hon'ble Shri. Jagannath Shetty Commission for ministerial staff of Subordinate Judiciary. He got approved the important legislations which facilitated to enhance the pecuniary jurisdiction of the Subordinate courts and City Civil Court, which has considerably reduced the pendency of cases in the High Court and paved the way for speedy disposal of cases. During his tenure he granted large number of approvals and made budgetary provisions for Court Complexes at Taluka and District places and residential quarters for the Judicial officers. All the new Court buildings and residential quarters that have been constructed in the last 4 years and under construction were approved during his tenure.

He was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on 21st October, 2013 and confirmed as a Judge of the Bombay High Court on 2nd March, 2016.