The BDBA has appealed to MPs and MLAs besides panchayat members of the respective district to extend their support for establishment of a high court Bench in Bhagalpur.

BHAGALPUR: The Bhagalpur District Bar Association (BDBA) has sought support from the legal fraternity in Banka, Munger, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Jamui, Begusarai, Khagaria, Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj, Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura, Araria and other districts for establishment of a Patna high court bench in Bhagalpur.

The BDBA has also appealed to MPs and MLAs besides panchayat members of the respective district to extend their support for establishment of a high court Bench in Bhagalpur. The members of the association are planning to hold ‘opinion poll’ besides staging demonstrations to press for its demand.

The prospect of HC bench at the divisional headquarters brightened when Chief Justice of Patna HC L Narasimha Reddy, who visited Bhagalpur recently, envisioned the prospect of ‘circuit bench’ while acknowledging the need to establish it to provide speedy justice to the needy during a meeting with the members of BDBA. The CJ also explained the procedure for the establishment of HC bench.

Earlier, then CM Jitan Ram Manjhi had also announced to set up a bench in Bhagalpur at a meeting in August 2014 when he was made aware of the issue by the delegations of lawyers under the aegis of district bar association (DBA), Uchh Nayayalaya Khandpeethsthapna Sangharsh Samiti (UNKSSS), Young Advocates Association (YAA) and others.

Lawyers, associated with the District Bar Association (DBA), which was established in 1881, had at first passed a resolution for the high court bench in Bhagalpur on November 11, 1967. The DBA members had also submitted memorandums to then PM Indira Gandhi in 1967 besides then CM Mahamaya Prasad Sinha, Chief Justices of Supreme Court and Patna high court demanding establishment of a ‘high court bench’ at Bhagalpur.

It may be mentioned here that Bhagalpur had been a seat of justice before 1947. ‘Mukhya Kaazi’ (now known as Chief Judicial Magistrate) used to officiate from Bhagalpur since 1774 in view of its strategic location and accessibility to the eastern parts of Bihar.

Chitrasen Sinku, the then MP from Singbhum had raised the issue related to establishment of HC bench at Bhagalpur in 1996. “Opening of HC bench in Bhagalpur will benefit residents of Kishanganj, Purnia, Katihar, Araria, Saharsa, Madhepura, Supaul, Khagaria, Begusarai, Jamui, Munger, Lakhisarai and Sheikhpura districts apart from Bhagalpur and Banka, said the general secretary of BDBA Vinayanand Mishra on Friday.

TOI | May 16, 2015

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