Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 27: A 100-member delegation comprising representatives from various organisations in Mangaluru will soon meet the Governor of Karnataka, the chief minister, and both the chief justice and administrative judge of the Karnataka high court, urging the establishment of a circuit bench of the high court in the city, announced MLC and coordinator of the High Court Bench Action Committee, Ivan D’Souza.

He shared this information at a press conference held after a consultative meeting with representatives of different organisations under the banner of the High Court Bench Action Committee.

D’Souza mentioned that around 80% of the members in the proposed delegation will be representatives from diverse organisations.

Highlighting the feasibility of establishing a high court bench in Mangaluru, he said the city has all the required infrastructure. Such a bench would benefit people from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, and Uttara Kannada districts. A formal request has already been made to the government to reserve the old deputy commissioner’s office building for this purpose.

Elected representatives from the coastal region—including MLAs, MLCs, and members of local bodies—will write to the government and relevant authorities to press for this demand. Additionally, one lakh students are expected to write postcards to the Governor, chief minister, and chief justice of the high court, stating the public’s need for a bench in Mangaluru and asserting that it is their right.

D’Souza noted that if a proposal is found to benefit the public, the chief justice can, with the governor’s approval, establish a circuit bench.

He also announced plans to intensify the movement with public support. An office will be set up to coordinate these efforts, and representatives from various sectors—including senior lawyers from the coast, labour leaders, auto rickshaw and bus associations, educational institutions, student bodies, and industry and commerce associations—will be engaged to rally support. Retired and current judges of the Supreme Court and high court who hail from Dakshina Kannada will also be approached for their opinions on the matter.

D’Souza pointed out that more than 40% of the cases pending in the Karnataka high court originate from coastal districts. A bench in Mangaluru would provide greater access to justice for people across seven districts. Mangaluru’s growing infrastructure and connectivity, along with the presence of seven law colleges in the region, would help aspiring legal professionals build their futures.

He added that the delegation has already met Andhra Pradesh governor and retired Supreme Court Justice Abdul Nazeer, who has assured full support for the establishment of a high court bench in Mangaluru.

B D Hiremath, the pioneer of the Dharwad High Court Bench movement, commented that the demand for a high court bench in Mangaluru is completely justified. If the government is willing, the bench can be established within one or two months. He recalled that it was only after 12 years of struggle that a high court bench was finally established in Dharwad.

The press conference was attended by H V Raghavendra, president of the High Court Bench Action Committee; former Rajya Sabha member B Ibrahim; former MLC Monappa Bhandary; Konkani Academy president Joachim Stany Alvares; former Mangaluru Bar Association president T Narayana Poojary; Prithviraj Rai; Bantwal Bar Association president Richard Crasta; Moodbidri Bar Association president Harish Moodbidri and former president K R Pandit; Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Anand G Pai; Tulunadu Rakshana Vedike president Yogish Shetty Jeppu; bus owners’ association representative Aziz Partipady; and auto rickshaw drivers’ union president Vishwanath Shetty.