Advocates to launch protest seeking High Court Bench for Shivamogga

Advocates in Shivamogga have resolved to launch the second phase of their protest with the support of various organisations, seeking a Circuit Bench of the High Court of Karnataka in the city, on Monday. They will begin a dharna on the premises of the district court.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Shivamogga Advocates Association president G.R. Raghavendra Swamy said the Shivamogga High Court Circuit Bench Struggle Committee would launch the protest with the support of various organisations in the district. A series of protests had been held by different organisations on the issue in May this year.

Senior advocate Basappa Gowda said the Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka had constituted a panel of judges to examine the feasibility of establishing a bench for the coastal and Malnad districts. “This development is a positive move, following our efforts. The panel will visit the districts in the coastal and Malnad regions before submitting its report,” he said.

He reiterated that Shivamogga was the most suitable location for the Bench, as it was easily accessible to people in the central region of the State. “Setting up a Bench in Mangaluru will not help the Malnad region in any way. Making people travel to Mangaluru to attend court proceedings will be a financial burden on them. Moreover, there has been a demand for a Bench in Shivamogga since 1950,” he said.

District BJP president N.K. Jagadish, District Congress Committee president H.C. Yogesh, advocate K.P. Sripal and others were present at the press conference.