The Karnataka government has put forth a formal proposal to establish a circuit Bench of the Karnataka High Court in Mangaluru. This proposal is spearheaded by Congress Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), Ivan D’Souza, alongside lawyers from Mangaluru and Udupi. On May 13, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah addressed a letter to the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Vibhu Bakhru, seeking serious consideration of the proposal and affirming the State’s full support for its execution.
The proposal has, however, encountered resistance from the Advocates Association Bengaluru (AAB). In a memorandum dated May 18, the association appealed to Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru to dismiss the proposal for establishing a High Court Bench in Mangaluru.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s letter emphasized the potential benefits of a Mangaluru Bench, highlighting that it would significantly improve access to justice for litigants from coastal regions and decrease the workload of the primary Bench in Bengaluru. The letter underscored that coastal Karnataka plays a crucial role in the State’s economy, education, trade, and cultural heritage. Yet, litigants and legal professionals from these regions face notable challenges, including long-distance travel to Bengaluru for High Court matters, which often results in financial and logistical difficulties.
By establishing a circuit Bench in Mangaluru, the government aims to empower numerous citizens across coastal Karnataka, bolster trust in legal institutions, and demonstrate a collective commitment to ensuring justice is immediate and accessible. The Chief Minister described this initiative as a transformative step towards decentralizing judicial access, thus ensuring timely and affordable justice.
The letter mentioned that premises spanning nearly 50,000 square feet at the former Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mangaluru have been earmarked and can be swiftly repurposed for court operations. Additionally, infrastructure for judges’ accommodations and other necessary civic, administrative, and logistical supports for the smooth operation of the circuit Bench are reportedly in place.
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Ivan D’Souza, who coordinates the demand for the circuit Bench, previously met with the Minister of Public Works Department, Satish Jarkiholi, to request ₹3 crore for renovating the old Deputy Commissioner’s building.
Conversely, the AAB has argued that creating a circuit Bench without thorough study or analysis of its necessity, supported by statistics, could compromise the High Court’s significance. Their memorandum cautioned that such a move would face strong opposition from Karnataka’s legal community. It further stated that Bar associations from Shivamogga, Hassan, Madikeri, and Chikkamagaluru oppose the proposal and urged that no decision be made without stakeholder consultations.
In a related development, a delegation led by Karnataka State Education Minister S Madhu Bangarappa met with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on May 20 to present a representation advocating for a High Court circuit Bench in Shivamogga.
