Include us under Bangalore HC: Muddebihal advocates

The Taluk Bar Association of Muddebihal in Bijapur district has passed a unanimous resolution, seeking that it be included under the High Court in Bangalore, in the event of the Gulbarga Circuit Bench being closed.

A section of advocates in Bangalore are demanding that the Circuit Benches in Gulbarga and Dharwad be closed. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by N P Amrutesh, a City-based advocate, has been taken up for hearing by a bench headed by acting Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao and a notice has been served on all the district and taluk bar associations, seeking their response to the petition.

However, much before others respond and even before the notice reached the association, the advocates from Muddebihal have responded to the petition, saying they want to be under the Bangalore High Court.

The Muddebihal Bar Association held a meeting, presided over by its Chairman R B Patil on January 20. It was unanimously decided to include Muddebihal under the Bangalore High Court, if the Gulbarga Circuit Bench notification is cancelled. The meeting was called particularly to discuss the PIL by Amrutesh. Deccan Herald is in possession of a copy of the resolution.

“In addition to this, they have sent a vakalath. An advocate from here will represent the taluk bar association. He will communicate to the Bench about the resolution. They have stated that they have no objection if the Circuit Bench in Gulbarga is closed,” said Amrutesh.

“Also, advocates from various bars like Bhalki in Bidar district and Indi in Bijapur district are calling me to inform that similar decisions will be taken by their bar associations.”
Amrutesh has filed a petition seeking a stay on the notification of the appointment of additional judges to the Circuit Benches and quashing of the notification for the establishment of the Benches in 2008. He has claimed that the Gulbarga Bench proposal was inserted at the last minute at the behest of the then chief minister, N Dharam Singh, as it is his constituency.

Particularly targeting the Gulbarga Circuit Bench, he had submitted that Rs 200 crore was invested on it and another Rs 50 crore was spent for the Bench, while the whole system is not scientifically viable. Pointing out that of the total 10,000 cases pending before the court, he said 8,000 are just miscellaneous first appeals filed from Bijapur district. He said only five districts are assigned to this bench, namely Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal, Yadgir and Bijapur.

The Bench, during the earlier hearing, had directed to implead the bar associations of the taluks and districts which had benefited from the Circuit Benches. Accordingly, the petitioner had impleaded 83 associations. The Bench, on February 2, had ordered notice to 13 district bar associations and 70 taluk bar associations, directing them to explain their stance regarding the petition seeking closure of the Benches.