A Group of Advocates Demand High Court Circuit Bench & Lawyers Chambers at Mangaluru
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at A J Grand Hotel, Mangaluru, the Vice President of Mangalore Bar Association, Advocate Manoraj Rajeeva, representing a group of Advocates supporting the Congress Party and the Mangaluru South Constituency Candidate J R Lobo said, “Setting up of the circuit bench of the High Court in Mangaluru will make it easy for litigants from remote regions of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Madikeri, Chikkamagaluru and Uttara Kannada districts to get justice. Because of the high cost of litigation and other expenses, people of the region accept orders of the lower courts and desist from approaching the High Court”
He said, “It has been a long pending demand of the advocates of DK for years that a Circuit Bench of HC is set up in Mangaluru, and this year we have our candidate J R Lobo, we would like to put forth this demand that he should materialize it. It should be noted that Advocates from Mangaluru, Udupi and Madikeri have reiterated their demand for a circuit bench of the Karnataka High Court at Mangaluru for years, and until now that demand has not been met by the government” While not quantifying the number of cases filed from the region in the High Court, Manoraj said a major portion of litigations in High Court were from these five districts. People from these districts will find it convenient to reach Mangaluru, which, he said, was an ideal location for setting up a circuit bench.
“A circuit bench there will be a lot more beneficial to litigants and also the advocates,” he said, and that Litigants and advocates have benefited from circuit benches in Dharwad and Kalaburagi, among other districts where such benches have been launched. This year with the support of our Congress candidates/leaders we will jointly fight for the setting up of the circuit bench that will benefit people at large. The litigants find it convenient to reach out to their local advocates for filing appeals against lower court orders than going to Bengaluru. “People of the region, especially the poor, find it difficult to approach the High Court for their legal issues. Thousands of advocates are practising in various courts in five districts. Hence, a circuit bench of the High Court is a need of the hour. As we know their limitations and conditions, we will not be burdening them with litigation expenses,” he said.
He further said that Lawyer’s Chambers are also very much needed in Mangaluru, and with the district jail having a vast area, a portion could be used to facilitate this project. Many other properties were seen during the earlier years of this project, but till now nothing has materialized. We hope that this year with the support of Congress leaders and our candidate J R Lobo, our dream will come true. J R Lobo who was also present during the press meet, assured that he will do his best to get both these demands done if Congress comes to power in the forthcoming Karnataka elections.
Former MLC Ivan D’souza, congress leaders Kallige Tharanath Shetty, Sashidhar Hegde, Ibrahim, and a large number of Advocates supporting J R Lobo/Congress Party joined in the press meet.
