The Shivamogga Bar Association launched a protest in front of the district court on Monday, demanding the establishment of a High Court circuit bench in the city.

The advocates argue that a circuit bench here would greatly benefit litigants from the district and neighbouring regions, including Davangere, Chitradurga, and Chikkamagaluru, and are pressing for a dedicated bench to serve the central Karnataka region.

The move was triggered by a demand raised by Dakshina Kannada advocates for a circuit bench in Mangaluru to cover the coastal and Malnad districts, a proposal that took Shivamogga’s legal fraternity by surprise. Local advocates expressed strong displeasure at not being consulted before such a demand was placed and made clear they would oppose any attempt to position Mangaluru as the venue for a Malnad-region bench, arguing it would be neither practical nor convenient for people from Shivamogga.

The association president G.R. Raghavendra Swamy said the protest would continue until the State government responded positively. The association plans to meet the Chief Minister and other elected representatives shortly to press its case.