‘Keep intact Circuit Bench jurisdiction’

Members of the Bellary Bar Association met Governor H.R. Bharadwaj and Union Minister for Law Veerappa Moily here on Sunday and urged them to prevail upon Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court P.D. Dinakaran not to unlink Bellary and Koppal districts from the jurisdiction of the Circuit Bench at Dharwad.

The delegation, led by B.V. Basavaraj, president of the Bar association, explained how litigants from Bellary and Koppal districts would face hardships in case the jurisdiction of the Bench was revised.

They also tried to convince them that the people would be financially hit by the move. The High Court proposes to bring Bellary and Koppal districts under the Gulbarga Circuit Bench.

Mr. Basavaraj told The Hindu that the Governor and Mr. Moily had promised that they would speak to the Chief Justice in this regard.

Meanwhile, the fast undertaken by members of the association entered the sixth day on Sunday.

K. Chennabasappa and B. Hanumant Reddy were among those who took part in it.