The Indian Association of Lawyers (IAL) has expressed its displeasure over the government’s “disinterest” in filling vacancies in the Kalaburagi Bench of High Court of Karnataka.
P. Vilaskumar, working president of IAL’s Hyderabad Karnataka chapter, held that the purpose of establishing a HC Bench here was being defeated by the vacancies and the resulting inordinate delays in delivering justice. He was addressing a press conference here on Saturday.
“When the Kalaburagi Bench was established in 2008, there were five judges against the pendency of around 8,000 cases. Now, the pendency has swollen to around 35,000 cases and the number of judges has fallen to just three. The purpose of this Bench was to address the mounting pendency and take the justice delivery system to the doorsteps of the citizens of the region. But, the government’s disinterest in filling the vacancies is defeating this very purpose,” he said.
The senior advocate also raised the problems that the Kalaburagi Bench of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) was facing.
“The building that was taken on rent for establishing the KAT Bench was renovated and the rent is being paid on time. But, the Bench is not functioning even two years of its establishment,” he said.
As part of IAL’s sustained initiatives to inculcate legal awareness among the citizens, Mr. Vilaskumar said it has planned a seminar on ‘citizens’ duties in democracy’. The event will be held at Shams Function Hall, New Jevargi Road, Kalaburagi, at 5.30 p.m. on Monday.
Senior advocate and former Advocate-General of Karnataka Ravivarma Kumar will deliver a special lecture on the topic.
