Supreme Court rejects petition seeking HC Bench at Dharamsala

New Delhi, January 25

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a PIL seeking setting up of a Circuit Bench of the HP High Court at Dharamsala.

A Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, however, permitted the Kangra District Bar Association to take up the issue with the HP 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 the concentration of all circuit benches of the High Court in a few areas, the apex court said that it could not direct the High court to set up a Bench at Dharamsala. “If travelling is an issue, video-conferencing facilities may be sought,” it added.

The top court said, “The decision has been taken to set up additional courts. Moreover, a direction for the establishment of a Bench for the 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 CJI lauded the efforts of Odisha High Court Chief Justice S Muralidhar in establishing video conferencing facilities in every district of the state.