The Karnataka High Court recently directed the State government to proposed a minimum of three proposals to the Chief Minister concerning the expansion of the Bengaluru High Court building, aiming to create more space.
A bench comprising Chief Justice PB Varale and Justice MGS Kamal, upon scrutinizing the State’s compliance affidavit, expressed the viewpoint that a one proposal might not adequately tackle the challenge of insufficient space within the Court.
“As per our perspective, the submission of only one proposal to the Chief Minister for an appropriate decision might prove insufficient in effectively addressing the matter of suitable and ample space for this Court. In our assessment, a minimum of three proposals ought to be presented to the Chief Minister, thereby providing a broader range for contemplation by the Chief Minister,” the bench noted.
The bench made the observation while hearing a plea asserting that the utilization of the High Court’s basement for offices was contrary to legal provisions. The plea sought directives compelling the State government to designate additional space for the expansion of the High Court premises.
During the previous hearing, the Court had instructed the State to focus not only on the concern of additional office space but also on augmenting courtrooms and judges’ chambers. The Court emphasized the escalating caseload and the appointment of more judges as contributory factors exacerbating the space shortage.
The bench further directed the State government to present the proposals to the Chief Minister within a span of three weeks, and further mandated that the Chief Minister undertake a review and reach a decision within two weeks thereafter.
Additionally, the Court endorsed the government’s commitment to expeditiously secure environmental clearance for the relocation of offices presently operating in the High Court’s basement to a neighboring edifice.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing after 3 weeks.
