Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)

Mangaluru, May 2: The long-standing demand for establishing a high court circuit bench and a permanent bench in Mangaluru, covering Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts, has received a positive response from the Chief Justice of the high court, who has agreed to conduct a site inspection soon.

Addressing a press conference at the Mangaluru City Corporation office on Saturday, MLC Ivan D’Souza said that the Chief Justice will inspect the old deputy commissioner’s office building at State Bank to assess the availability of basic infrastructure required for setting up the circuit bench.

He said the high court bench would require facilities such as court halls and space for storing official records. To facilitate this, the district in-charge minister has written to the government requesting allocation of the four-storey old DC office building spread across 5.5 acres of land.

Ivan D’Souza further stated that additional land would become available after the undertrial prisoners’ jail currently functioning in Mangaluru is shifted to Mudipu. However, since that process may take another two to three years, the old DC office building is being considered as an immediate solution.

The final decision will be taken after the Chief Justice’s inspection visit.

He said the progress made so far is the result of sustained efforts by advocates’ associations, law students, workers, public representatives, and the general public. Awareness campaigns through postcards and emails were also launched to draw the attention of the high court judges to the need for a circuit bench in Mangaluru.

He expressed confidence that, similar to Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi, Mangaluru too would soon get a high court circuit bench.

Dakshina Kannada District Bar Association president Raghavendra Rao, secretary Sridhar, government pleader M P Noronha, Bhaskar, and others were present.