MLC and convener of Mangaluru High Court Circuit Bench Horata Samiti Ivan D’Souza met Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi in Bengaluru on Wednesday and requested him to sanction ₹3 crore to repair and refurbish the old Deputy Commissioner’s office building which, he said, is suitable to set up the HC Bench.

A statement from Mr. D’Souza said that the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada H. V. Darshan has estimated that the repair of the old building might require ₹3 crore.

The MLC said that the Minister promised to arrange all infrastructure facilities required for the building to facilitate the setting up of the Circuit Bench.

It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently wrote to the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Vibhu Bakhru, requesting that he consider the demand to set up a Circuit Bench of the High Court in Mangaluru.

In his May 13 letter, the Chief Minister said that the State government is fully prepared to facilitate the initiative with “immediate effect” and that suitable infrastructure to set up the Bench is already available in Mangaluru.

“...A spacious premise of approximately 50,000 sq. ft. in the old Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mangaluru has been identified and can be promptly repurposed for court operations. Residential accommodations for the honourable judges have already been identified and can be made functional without delay. Necessary civic, administrative, and logistical infrastructure is in place to ensure the seamless functioning of the bench from its inception...,” the letter said.

Mr. Siddaramaiah said that establishing a Circuit Bench in Mangaluru will empower lakhs of citizens across coastal Karnataka, strengthen faith in institutions and reflect “our collective commitment to ensuring that justice is not distant, but accessible and immediate.”