Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea for setting up Himachal High Court Bench at Dharamsala

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 25

The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to entertain a PIL seeking setting up of a Circuit Bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court at Dharamshala, saying there was no merit in the petition.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, however, permitted the Kangra District Bar Association to take up the issue with the Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice for providing video-conferencing facilities for lawyers and litigants who were forced to travel to Shimla to attend court proceedings.

As the petitioners argued against a concentration of all the circuit benches of the high court in a few areas, the Bench said it can’t direct the high court to set up a Bench at Dharamshala. If travelling was an issue, then video-conferencing facilities may be sought, it added.

“The decision has been taken to set up additional courts to facilitate the convenience of litigants. Moreover, a direction for establishment of a Bench for High Court cannot be entertained in an Article 32 (writ jurisdiction of SC) petition. Therefore, we find no merit in the petition. The petition is dismissed,” the top court said.

The CJI lauded the efforts undertaken by Odisha High Court Chief Justice S Muralidhar for establishing video-conferencing facilities in every district of the state.

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