Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (JD)
Udupi, Oct 7: No one should be deprived of justice merely because legal proceedings are expensive, said MLC and convenor of the Coastal High Court Bench Struggle Committee Ivan D'Souza. He stressed the need for accessible legal facilities closer to the people and said that establishing a high court bench in the coastal region is essential.
He was speaking after inaugurating a consultation meeting on the establishment of a coastal high court bench, held at Lions Bhavan, Brahmagiri, Udupi, on Tuesday.
The demand for a high court bench in the coastal region dates back nearly 18 years. People from Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts have been seeking such a facility, he said.
Around 40% of cases from the region are pending before the high court, forcing litigants from coastal Karnataka to travel to Bengaluru to pursue their cases. This results in considerable expenditure as well as loss of time, D'Souza said.
He clarified that the movement has no political agenda and is a non-partisan initiative. Mangaluru has all the necessary infrastructure for establishing a high court bench, including several law colleges and a growing number of law graduates. The region also has the skilled human resources required to support the proposed bench, he said.
He further said that the high court has already constituted a three-member committee to examine the demand and submit a report. The committee is likely to visit the six districts next month as part of its assessment. During the visit, prominent representatives and stakeholders from the region should explain the need for a high court bench to the committee, he added.
Advocate Melwyn Noronha, Byndoor Bar Association president Prashanth Poojary, Karkala Bar Association secretary Padmaprasad, Mangaluru Bar Association former president Raghavendra, secretary Gautham and vice-president Praveen were present.
Udupi Bar Association president Reynold Praveen Kumar welcomed the gathering and compered the programme.