Vacancies in Karnataka High Court: Advocates start 8-day relay hunger strike

Bengaluru: Expressing displeasure over pending vacancies in judiciary, especially the appointments of judges to the Karnataka High Court of, the advocates’ body launched their eight-day relay hunger strike on Monday, pressing for immediate filling up of vacancies.

Former advocate-generals and senior advocates extended their support to the strike which was launched in front of High Court's Golden Jubilee Gate.

Citing that it is the litigants who are suffering due to pending cases, senior advocate B.V. Acharya said that with the available strength of judges in courts, it would require another 15 years to dispose of the pending cases at present. He said that justice is being denied to citizens and it will eventually lead to public losing faith in judiciary.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who met the advocates on strike, assured them that he along with the law minister would press the matter before the Prime Minister in their next meeting. He said that the Central is adopting a step-motherly attitude towards filling up vacancies in the Karnataka High Court and that the vacancies are affecting the functioning of the judiciary.

There are at least 3.24 lakh cases pending before the principal bench of the High Court in Bengaluru. Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda urged the advocates to withdraw their protest, assuring them that he will bring it to the notice of the concerned in the central government.

As against the sanctioned strength of 62 judges, only 24 judges are serving in the High Court. Of which, eight judges are serving at the Dharwad and Gulbarga benches and only 16 judges are serving at the principal bench in Bengaluru.