3 weeks ago
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The Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru (AAB), has written to Vibhu Bakhru, Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka, opposing the State government’s projected determination to found a Circuit Bench of the High Court astatine Mangaluru for the coastal districts, portion terming the determination “premature” and lacking immoderate empirical basis.
In its missive dated May 18, 2026, AAB stated that the reports successful a conception of media bespeak that the State authorities is considering allotment of onshore for mounting up a Bench of the High Court astatine Mangaluru to cater to coastal districts.
The missive has been signed by AAB president Vivek Subba Reddy, wide caput H.V. Praveen Gowda, vice-president Girish Kumar C.S., and treasurer Shwetha Ravishankar.
Objecting to the proposal, the relation said that “any specified determination initiated without due consultation with stakeholders and without conducting immoderate empirical oregon statistical survey regarding the existent necessity of a Bench would beryllium wholly unwarranted”.
The relation stated that barroom associations crossed Karnataka had expressed “serious reservations and objections” to immoderate effort astatine further splitting oregon subdividing the main spot astatine Bengaluru, and existing Benches of the High Court astatine Dharwad and Kalaburagi.
“The AAB besides records its beardown and unequivocal absorption to the said proposal,” the relation added, portion claiming that the determination appeared to beryllium “motivated to appease definite determination sentiments” than by immoderate genuine judicial oregon administrative necessity.
“The coastal portion comprises lone 3 districts, and constitution of a abstracted Bench exclusively for specified constricted territorial jurisdiction would neither beryllium justified nor economically prudent. No broad survey had been undertaken to measure the pendency of cases, accessibility concerns, judicial infrastructure requirements, oregon the broader administrative implications of specified a decision,” the missive further stated.
According to the association, “proliferation of aggregate smaller Benches would gradually dilute the stature, unity and law value of the High Court arsenic an institution”. The relation has warned that “fragmentation could adversely impact uniformity and consistency successful judicial medication crossed the State.
The relation urged the Chief Justice to cull immoderate connection forwarded by the State authorities successful this respect and requested that nary determination beryllium taken without archetypal consulting each affected stakeholders, including barroom associations from Bengaluru, Madikeri, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga, and Karwar.
The missive besides noted that respective barroom associations from the regions acrophobic had already expressed absorption to the constitution of specified a Bench.
