Circuit Benches of Calcutta and Karnataka High Court await Presidential approval says Law Minister

Replying to a question asked during the Parliamentary session, Law & Justice Minister Ashwani Kumar said that four states had proposed setting up new Benches of their respective High Courts. The four states were Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh..Replying to a question asked during the Parliamentary session, Law & Justice Minister Ashwani Kumar said that four states had proposed setting up new Benches of their respective High Courts. The four states were Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh..As per this report, Karnataka has proposed to establish Benches of the High Court in Gulbarga, and Dharwad whereas West Bengal sought to establish a Bench of the High Court in Jalpaiguri. Both these proposals had the consent of the respective High Court’s Chief Justice. While Karnataka’s proposal has been sent for Presidential approval “on the advice of the Union cabinet”, the Calcutta High Court has been asked to first indicate the date on which the Circuit Bench is to start functioning..The proposals which did not have the approval of the respective Cheif Justices were those from the state of Himachal Pradesh (seeking a Bench at Dharamsala), and Kerala, which sought a Bench at Thiruvananthapuram..The Law Minister also revealed that there were a total of 278 vacancies across various High Courts, and five in the Supreme Court.