Kozhikode: The Calicut Bar Association has protested against the move of the State Government to establish a Bench of the High Court of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram, ignoring the demands of the citizens of north Kerala to set up one in Kozhikode city.

In a resolution adopted at a special general body meeting of the association here on Tuesday, the members urged the Chief Justice of India, Chief Justice of Kerala, the Centre and the State Governments to take necessary steps to establish a bench of the High Court in Kozhikode. It also asked the authorities concerned to drop the proposal to set up a Bench in the State capital.

The resolution said the establishment of a Bench at Kozhikode had been a legitimate and longstanding demand of the people of Malabar. Ever since 1973, this demand had been voiced and the Calicut Bar Association, people from different walks of life and various organisations had made representations before the Government and the High Court of Kerala.

It said a Bench in Thiruvananthapuram would be beneficial to Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts alone. Such a step would be against the interests of the people of six districts, which accounted for more than 45 per cent of the population of the State.

The State Government had taken the initiative for setting up a bench at Thiruvananthapuram on the pretext that it would save revenue to the tune of Rs.30 crore a year on account of litigations. This was an untenable contention since dispensation of justice was a paramount consideration of the State.

The proposal for a Bench at Kozhikode should not be scuttled in the name of saving the State exchequer. The people of northern districts of the State would have to travel 200 km more and their burden would be doubled if all the cases in which the State was a party were entertained in Thiruvananthapuram.

Today the litigants have to travel a distance of 423 km from Kasaragod, 325 km from Wayanad, 312 km from Kannur, 225 km from Kozhikode, 177 km from Malappuram and 140 km from Palakkad, to reach Ernakulam where the High Court is situated, the resolution said.

A majority of cases reaching the High Court was from north Kerala. If a Bench of the High Court was established in Kozhikode, the litigants could save money, precious time and would have better access to judiciary.

Association president K.P Palaninatha Panciker, secretary R.M. Subair and other lawyers spoke at the meeting.

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