Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Apr 21: In a major development for the long-standing demand for a high court bench in the coastal region, the chief justice of the Karnataka High Court, Justice Vibhu Bakhru, has assured that a committee will be formed to examine the feasibility of establishing a circuit bench in Mangaluru.

The demand for a permanent high court bench in coastal Karnataka has gained significant momentum recently. Under the coordination of MLC Ivan D’Souza, the 'Action Committee for Permanent High Court Bench' has held numerous meetings with various organizations and stakeholders to push the agenda with the relevant authorities.

Political impetus and judicial outreach

The movement received a boost following chief minister Siddaramaiah’s recent call for the decentralization of justice. Speaking at the 22nd biennial state-level conference of judicial officers on April 18, the chief minister emphasized the urgent need to improve access to justice and noted that the rising pendency of cases is a serious hurdle to timely delivery.

Inspired by this, a delegation including the action committee’s PRO and district principal government advocate MP Noronha, Mangaluru Bar Association president HV Raghavendra Rao, and Bantwal Bar Association and DK District Bar Association president Richard D'Costa M met with the governor of Andhra Pradesh and retired supreme court judge Justice Abdul Nazeer. Justice Nazeer provided valuable guidance on the procedural guidelines for establishing a circuit bench and pledged his full support for the initiative in Mangaluru.

High-level meetings in Bengaluru

Following the guidance, the committee met with the Karnataka assembly speaker UT Khader Fareed, who subsequently wrote to the chief justice of Karnataka urging immediate steps for the establishment of a circuit bench in Mangaluru.

The delegation led by MP Noronha, HV Raghavendra Rao, and Richard D'Costa M then formally petitioned chief justice Vibhu Bakhru. They requested the immediate setup of a circuit bench comprising one division bench and two single-member benches as an interim measure until a permanent bench is sanctioned.

The chief justice discussed the matter in detail and assured the delegation that a committee would be formed to review the proposal. He stated that the committee, or designated administrative judges, would visit Mangaluru to inspect the available infrastructure and submit a report on additional requirements.

Positive response from the judiciary

The delegation also met with the administrative judge for the district, Justice HT Narendra Prasad, who responded positively to the proposal. Furthermore, they met with Justice Rajesh Rai Kallangala, who hails from Dakshina Kannada and assured his complete cooperation for the project. Advocate Ajay Melrick Noronha accompanied the delegation during these meetings.

The proactive steps taken by the committee and the positive assurance from the chief justice have been widely welcomed by the legal fraternity, various social organizations, and the general public of the coastal region.