A Bangalore city advocate has moved the High Court by way of a public interest litigation seeking a direction to the State Chief Justice to restrain from insisting upon the lower court judges and staff to attend the functions held in court premises during courts’ working hours.

In his writ petition filed on Thursday, advocate A V Amaranathan has claimed that the Chief Justice has issued an unofficial order to all lower court presiding officers to attend the functions, held in court premises and attended by HC judges.

He has cited that on the occasion of Law Day celebrations on November 26, 2007, the lower court judges had been instructed to assemble at the High Court at 4.30 pm, and hence lower courts were closed by 4.15 pm as against the usual closing time of 5.30 pm, he said.

Since such functions are being held frequently, litigants and advocates are suffering invconvenience due to cutting short of court time, he has said.