<p> Bundh call was given by the Bellary and Koppal Bar Associations demanding that both the districts be continued under the High Court Circuit Bench at Dharwad and not to be shifted to the Circuit Bench at Gulbarga.<br /><br />The Bar Association members of both the districts had been staging relay hunger strike to retain the districts under Dharwad Circuit Bench. The members took out a protest rally and raised slogans.<br /><br />Forced to close shops<br /><br />Workers of various pro-Kannada organisations were seen forcing the shop keepers to close their shops during the early hours of Wednesday. Almost all the shops, schools, colleges, banks, and government offices were closed in the city and in the extension areas.<br /><br />Later, District In-Charge Minister G Janardhan Reddy met the protesters and said that he was aware of the advocates and litigants’ problems if the districts were included under Gulbarga Circuit Bench. He assured to discuss the problem with the Chief Justice shortly.<br /><br />Koppal bundh<br /><br />The Koppal bundh called by the District Bar Association also passed off peacefully. Advocates boycotted the court proceedings and took out the protest rally from the Court premises.<br /><br />Meanwhile, expressing solidarity with the Bellary and Koppal advocates, the advocates in Dharwad stayed away from proceedings on Wednesday.</p>
<p> Bundh call was given by the Bellary and Koppal Bar Associations demanding that both the districts be continued under the High Court Circuit Bench at Dharwad and not to be shifted to the Circuit Bench at Gulbarga.<br /><br />The Bar Association members of both the districts had been staging relay hunger strike to retain the districts under Dharwad Circuit Bench. The members took out a protest rally and raised slogans.<br /><br />Forced to close shops<br /><br />Workers of various pro-Kannada organisations were seen forcing the shop keepers to close their shops during the early hours of Wednesday. Almost all the shops, schools, colleges, banks, and government offices were closed in the city and in the extension areas.<br /><br />Later, District In-Charge Minister G Janardhan Reddy met the protesters and said that he was aware of the advocates and litigants’ problems if the districts were included under Gulbarga Circuit Bench. He assured to discuss the problem with the Chief Justice shortly.<br /><br />Koppal bundh<br /><br />The Koppal bundh called by the District Bar Association also passed off peacefully. Advocates boycotted the court proceedings and took out the protest rally from the Court premises.<br /><br />Meanwhile, expressing solidarity with the Bellary and Koppal advocates, the advocates in Dharwad stayed away from proceedings on Wednesday.</p>
