Chief Justice of Karnataka HC constitutes panel of judges to examine feasibility for establishing Bench for coastal/Malnad districts
The Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court has formed a committee to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a new court bench in the coastal or Malnad regions. While local advocates argue this will improve access to justice, the Advocates’ Association in Bengaluru opposes the move, citing concerns over institutional unity.
Why it matters
The debate reflects the ongoing tension between decentralizing judicial access and maintaining the administrative integrity of high courts.
The Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday constituted a high-level committee comprising three judges to examine the feasibility of establishing a Circuit Bench/Permanent Bench of the court in the State’s coastal or Malnad region.
According to an official notification issued by the High Court’s Registrar General, the committee will consist of Justices Anu Sivaraman, S.G. Pandit, and Mohammad Nawaz.
The committee will “verify the feasibility of establishment of High Court Circuit Bench/Permanent Bench at Mangaluru/Udupi (Coastal Karnataka region)/Shivamogga/Chikkamagaluru/Kodagu-Madikeri/Hassan/Davanagere/Uttara Kannada districts after consulting all the stakeholders and submit a report”, the notification stated.
The demand for a permanent Bench in the coastal region has been a major political and legal talking point for years led by the Mangaluru Bar Association and the Coastal High Court Bench Agitation Committee.
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