The Bombay High Court emphasised a "need for area-wise systematic and scientific approach to be adopted to phase-wise do away with the slums in Mumbai". File Photo The Bombay High Court Friday directed the government to constitute an expert panel within four weeks to carry out a performance audit of the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, to make it more effective and to achieve the “distant dream” of “slum-free” Mumbai and other cities in the state. A special bench comprising Justices Girish S Kulkarni and Advait M Sethna delivered a verdict on a suo motu plea , initiated in response to a Supreme Court directive to review the working of the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971, and assess its implementation. From 2024, the high court conducted a unique, “one-of-its-kind” proceedings for a review of the 1971 Act, moving beyond mere examination of its constitutional validity and identifying areas where it falls short.…