Minister confident of setting up HC Bench in NK

By Our Staff Correspondent

MADIKERI, JULY 10. The Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. D. B. Chandre Gowda, has expressed confidence that the State Government will be able to set up a High Court Bench in north Karnataka.

Mr. Chandre Gowda, who has come here in connection with the election to the post of president of the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, told presspersons here on Monday that the Government did not understand why the agitation was going on as it was committed to setting up of the Bench in Hubli-Dharwad.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, had given assurances to the delegation, which met him in Delhi, in this connection recently. Moves were on to refer the issue to the President through the Governor. Setting up of a High Court Bench involved provision of funds and infrastructure, which had been identified in Hubli. He had asked the Union Law Minister to take a decision on the issue, the Minister stated.

Tamil Nadu, which was a smaller State had a High Court Bench in Madurai, and in Maharashtra, a Bench had been set up in Aurangabad. Besides, the State met all the criteria laid down in the Jaswant Singh Committee report for setting up a High Court Bench.

Stating that the Government was unable to understand the reasons for the agitation, he said there was no need to take the agitation to the streets, and added that the State Government supported the demand for setting up of the Bench. Mr. Gowda said that some ``unseen'' hands were at work in creating unrest. Even the hand of political parties could not be ruled out, he added.

Condemning the bomb blasts in churches in the State and other parts of the country, he said that such incidents were taking place at the instance of forces acting against the interests of the country. Endorsing the views of the Chief Minister, Mr. S.M.Krishna, he said that it was an attempt to destabilise the Congress(I) Government in the State. Such acts of cowardice would be put down sternly, he added.

Replying to a question on the issue of grace marks to the candidates from rural areas for employment, he said that the Government was not against the idea. It would even seek a Constitution amendment in this regard.

The Minister said that he had issued an order in May for the withdrawal of cases against over 130 persons in connection with the Virajpet riots in Kodagu in December, 1997. It had been referred to the Home Department for its views. If there was a need, it could come up before the Cabinet, he added.

On the issue of acquisition of the Mysore Palace by the Government, Mr. Gowda said the case was now pending before the Supreme Court. The Government had mooted the formation of a trust to administer the palace on the lines of the National Trust of England. He said that the Hotel Metropole in Mysore could be handed over to a joint sector or a private sector company.

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