High Court of Karnataka (Dharwad Bench)

High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench
Established24 August 2013 (2013-08-24)
LocationDharwad, Karnataka, India
Composition methodPermanent bench; Presidential appointment on advice of the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of Karnataka
Authorised byConstitution of India
Appeals toSupreme Court of India
Judge term lengthMandatory retirement at age 62
Number of positions5 (sanctioned)
LanguageKannada, English
Websitekarnatakajudiciary.kar.nic.in

High Court of Karnataka (Dharwad Bench) is a permanent bench of the Karnataka High Court, located in Dharwad serving the northern districts of Karnataka, India. Established on 24 August 2013, it addresses decades of public demand for improved judicial access. The bench exercises jurisdiction over eight districts and has been recognised as a "probo bono publico" measure that increased legal awareness and case filling in North Karnataka.[1]

History

Advocacy for judicial access in the North Karnataka extends to at least 1979, when Chief Justice D. M. Chandrasekhar recommended establishing a bench at Dharwad recognizing hardships caused by Bengaluru's southeastern location.[2] The 425 to 613 kilometres distance to northern district centers imposed substantial burdens on litigants and practitioners and legal profession organized collective action, including boycotts of court proceedings, to highlight systemic inequities.[3]

By 1999, Karnataka's state government formally supported establishing a permanent bench at Dharwad-Hubli.[4] However, the proposed stalled without the Chief Justice's endorsement, which was required by policy. In 2000, the Union Ministry of Law and Justice confirmed the state's support but noted the lack of Karnataka High Court endorsement.[5]

Circuit bench to permanent status

A circuit bench was established at Dharwad on 7 July 2008.[6][7][8] Caseload from eight northern districts tripled from 21,000 to nearly 60,000 in four years, intensifying demands for permanent status.[9] In March 2013, the Union Minister confirmed the necessary governmental and judicial approvals has been secured.[10] The Union Cabinet approved[11] establishment on 4 June 2013, the Presidential order[12] was issued on 14 August 2013.[13] The bench became operational on 24 August 2013 and was inaugurated by Justice H. L. Dattu, a supreme court judge with Karnataka High Court D. H. Waghela presiding.[14]

Jurisdiction

As per the 2013 Presidential order, the bench exercises over eight districts: Bagalkot, Belagavi, Ballari, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal, and Uttara Kannada[13] The Chief Justice of Karnataka may order any case arising in these districts to be heard at the principal Bengaluru bench.[13]

Infrastructure

The Government of Karnataka constructed a court complex at ₹108.24 crores, including court halls and residential quarters.[6][11] The bench was sanctioned 190 administrative positions.[6]

Operations

In December 2018, the bench held court during judicial vacation for the first time, eliminating the requirement for litigants to travel to Bengaluru during vacations.[15]

A 2023 Karnataka High Court judgement upholding the bench's establishment noted it as a "pro bono publico" measure that created legal awareness and "brought the court to their doorsteps".[1] Pending cases grew from 20,766 (18,401 civil; 2,365 criminal) in 2008 to 58,586 (51,946 civil; 6,640 criminal) by February 2023, demonstrating increased access to justice and speedy, qualitative justice delivery.[16]

The Dharwad Bench operates under the Chief Justice of Karnataka's administrative control. As of 2025, Justice Vibhu Bakhru served as the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court,[17][18] appointed on 19 July 2025.[19]

Notable judgements

  • In 2026, the bench directed the Union government to protect the inheritance rights of 'class I' heirs particularly daughters, under the amended Hindu Succession Act, emphasizing the need to remove legal obstacles preventing them from claiming their share in ancestral properties.[20]
  • In 2016, the bench dismissed the bail please of former minister and mining magnate G. Janardhana Reddy in case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Establishment of Dharwad and Kalaburagi Benches created awareness on legal rights of North Karnataka residents: HC". The Hindu. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Federation of Bar Associations in Karnataka vs. Union of India". CourtKutchehry. 24 July 2000. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  3. ^ "History of High Court of Karnataka, Bengaluru". Official Website of e-Committee, Supreme Court of India. Supreme Court of India. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2207: Bench of Karnataka High Court at Dharwad-Hubli" (PDF). Digital Sansad, Parliament Digital Library. 16 March 1999. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4511: Setting up of Benches of Karnataka High Court" (PDF). Digital Sansad, Parliament Digital Library. 24 April 2000. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b c "Establishment of Permanent Benches of Karnataka High Court at Dharwad and Gulbarga Districts in the State of Karnataka". Press Information Bureau. Government of India, Ministry of Law & Justice. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Gulbarga, Dharwad get permanent benches". The Hindu. 6 June 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  8. ^ Archives, From Our Online (5 June 2013). "Dharwad, Gulbarga HC circuit benches to be permanent". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Demand for High Court permanent bench in Dharwad gets shriller". Deccan Herald. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Rajya Sabha Starred Question No. 192: New benches of High Courts" (PDF). Digital Sansad, Parliament Digital Library. 11 March 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Cost of the establishment of Permanent Benches of Karnataka High Court at Dharwad and Gulbarga Districts in the State of Karnataka". Business Standard. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  12. ^ "Karnataka HC permanent benches at Dharwad,Gulbarga get President nod". The Indian Express. 15 August 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  13. ^ a b c "Permanent Benches of Karnataka High Court Established at Dharwad and Gulbarga". Press Information Bureau. Government of India, Ministry of Law & Justice. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  14. ^ "High Court of Karnataka, Dharwad Bench". Official Website of e-Committee, Supreme Court of India. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  15. ^ "High Court judges to sit in Dharwad, Kalaburagi Benches during vacation". The Hindu. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  16. ^ "Karnataka High Court rejects challenge to conversion of HC circuit benches at Dharwad, Kalaburagi into permanent benches". Bar and Bench. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Hon'ble Mr. Justice Vibhu Bakhru". High Court of Karnataka. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  18. ^ "Justice Vibhu Bakhru to be new Karnataka High Court Chief Justice". The Indian Express. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  19. ^ Plumber, Mustafa (19 July 2025). "Justice Vibhu Bakhru Takes Oath As Chief Justice Of Karnataka High Court". www.livelaw.in. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  20. ^ "Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court asks Centre to protect class one heirs' rights under amended Hindu Succession Act". The Times of India. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Dharwad bench of Karnataka HC dismisses Reddy's bail plea". The Hindu. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
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