Bangalore Advocates Association petitions PM to establish tribunals in city; Ensure “better accessibility to justice”

The Advocates Association of Bangalore has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish permanent benches of different tribunals in the city of Bangalore. More specifically, the lawyer’s body has asked for permanent benches of all Tribunals over which the High Court of Karnataka exercises appellate and supervisory jurisdiction..In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office, A.P. Ranganatha, General Secretary of the association highlighted the need to constitute tribunals in Bangalore to ensure “better accessibility” to justice..After listing the twenty-three odd tribuals that have “come of age” in the country, the letter goes on to state that,. “…a great majority of the Tribunals do not have a bench in south India, barring a few glaring exceptions, such benches of almost all Tribunals are located in Chennai… the clients, particularly, those from the lower strata of the society in Karnataka are experiencing highest difficulty in travelling to Delhi and/or to Chennai.”.The letter also highlights one of the lesser discussed fallouts of tribunalisation, such litigants being forced to travel to multiple locations.. “For instance, Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) is located in Bangalore, the appeal from therein is to Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT) located in Chennai. Again, an appeal from (DRAT) Chennai has to be filed in the High Court at Bangalore”.The AAB has also cited the example of NLSIU to support its demand for establishing more tribunals in the city..“In the same way, the first Law School was started in Bangalore, we request your good offices to kindly ensure your personal intervention and initiate the justice accessibility movement in India, with Bangalore as its forerunner.”.In a related story, the Supreme Court directed the Central Government to respond within six months to a PIL filed for the establishment of National Courts of Appeal in different parts of the country.