The Karnataka government has formally proposed the establishment of a circuit Bench of the Karnataka High Court in Mangaluru.
The initiative was led by Congress Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Ivan D'Souza and lawyers in Mangaluru and Udupi.
On May 13, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru seeking the consideration of the proposal and assuring full cooperation from the State government for its implementation.
The move has, however, drawn opposition from the Advocates Association Bengaluru (AAB). In a memorandum submitted on May 18, the association urged Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru to reject the proposal for a High Court Bench in Mangaluru.
In the May 13 letter to Chief Justice Bakhru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written that a Mangaluru Bench of the High Court would improve access to justice for litigants from coastal districts and reduce the burden on the principal Bench of the High Court in Bengaluru.
The letter described coastal Karnataka as a socio-economic region that contributes significantly to the State’s economy, education, trade and cultural heritage. Despite this, litigants and lawyers from coastal districts are currently required to travel long distances to Bengaluru for High Court proceedings, often facing financial and logistical hardships, the letter added.
A circuit Bench in Mangaluru could empower lakhs of citizens across coastal Karnataka, strengthen faith in institutions, and reflect a collective commitment to ensuring that justice is not distant, but accessible and immediate, the letter stated.
It would mark a transformative step toward decentralising judicial access and ensuring timely and affordable justice, the Chief Minister added.
Premises measuring nearly 50,000 square feet at the old Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mangaluru have been identified and can be repurposed immediately to be available for court operations, the letter went on to inform.
The letter added that infrastructure for the residential accommodation of judges, as well as civic, administrative and logistical infrastructure required for the smooth functioning of the circuit Bench is also in place.
Ivan D'Souza, who is coordinating the demand for the establishment of the circuit Bench, had earlier met Minister of Public Works Department Satish Jarkiholi to submit a representation seeking ₹3 crore for the renovation of the existing old Deputy Commissioner’s building.
On the other hand, the AAB has contended that the creation of a circuit Bench without proper study or an analysis of the necessity for it and supporting statistics would dilute the significance of the High Court.
In its May 18 memo, the AAB warned that such a move would be strongly opposed by the legal fraternity in Karnataka.
The memorandum further stated that Bar associations from Shivamogga, Hassan, Madikeri and Chikkamagaluru were opposed to the proposal and urged the Chief Justice not to take any decision without consulting stakeholders.
More recently, a delegation led by Karnataka State Education Minister S Madhu Bangarappa met Chief Minister (CM) Siddaramaiah on May 20 to submit a representation seeking the establishment of a High Court circuit Bench at Shivamogga.