Opposition Grows to Including Uttara Kannada Under Proposed Mangaluru High Court Bench

Opposition is growing in Uttara Kannada over a proposal to bring the district under the jurisdiction of the proposed High Court Bench in Mangaluru.

Lawyers and several organisations in the district have urged authorities to retain Uttara Kannada under the Dharwad High Court Bench. They say the decision should take into account the district’s vast geographical spread and the difficulties residents in different parts may face in travelling to Mangaluru.

High Court Benches are already functioning in Hubballi Dharwad and Kalaburagi. With demands for a similar Bench in Mangaluru gaining momentum, the possibility of including Uttara Kannada within its jurisdiction has also come under discussion.

Those opposing the proposal argue that a Mangaluru Bench would not be equally accessible to people across all parts of Uttara Kannada.

Residents of areas such as Sirsi, Siddapur, Yellapur, Mundgod, Haliyal and Dandeli would find the Dharwad Bench more convenient, they said. For these areas, travelling to Dharwad could involve less time and expense than travelling to Mangaluru.

However, some residents of Bhatkal and other coastal areas have expressed a different view. They believe a Mangaluru Bench would be more accessible to people living in the coastal belt. This has led to differing opinions across various parts of the district.

Travel distance and financial burden

Lawyers opposing the proposed jurisdiction change say including Uttara Kannada under the Mangaluru Bench could force litigants from several parts of the district to travel much farther for court related matters.

This could increase both travel time and expenses. Lawyers have argued that High Court Benches are intended to bring judicial services closer to people, and increasing the distance for a large section of the district could undermine that objective.

Uttara Kannada District Bar Association president Nagaraj Naik said it would be more appropriate to keep the district under the Dharwad Bench.

According to Naik, shifting the district to the Mangaluru Bench could increase the travel distance, time and financial burden for litigants. He also raised concerns about possible administrative and language related difficulties.

He said representations have already been submitted to the Chief Justice of the High Court and the state government on the issue.

Demand for a coastal Bench in Uttara Kannada

Some have also suggested that if a separate High Court Bench is considered for the coastal region, the geographical characteristics of Uttara Kannada should be taken into account.

The district covers an area of around 10,227 square kilometres and includes both coastal and hilly regions. Supporters of a local Bench have pointed to the historical importance of Honnavar, which served as a district headquarters when the Canara district was divided in 1857.

They have suggested that Honnavar could be considered as a possible location if a High Court Bench is established specifically to serve the coastal region.

Lawyers and organisations have called for the location and jurisdiction of any proposed Bench to be decided after considering the geographical distance between the coastal and Ghat regions and the convenience of people across the entire district.

Massive foot march planned in Karwar on August 13

A large foot march will be held in Karwar on August 13 to oppose the proposal to include Uttara Kannada under the jurisdiction of the proposed Mangaluru High Court Bench.

The march, organised under the leadership of the District Bar Association, will begin at Mitra Samaj and pass through major streets before reaching the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where a memorandum will be submitted.

Lawyers from all taluks of Uttara Kannada are expected to participate. Representatives of Bar Associations from the eight districts under the Dharwad Bench, along with members of the public and elected representatives, are also expected to join the protest.