Dharwad: The members of Dharwad Bar Association are contemplating holding another function to celebrate the decennial year of the Dharwad Bench of High Court.The bench, which started functioning on July 7, 2008, completed 10 years and the High Court Advocates Association had organised the decennial celebration on the high court premises on July 7. Supreme Court Judge Justice Mohan Shantangoudar and Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court Justice Dinesh Maheshwari were the chief guests.The high court bench was established after a prolonged agitation by the lawyers and citizens’ organisations which at times turned violent and led to arrests. The lawyers and members of public had participated in the relay hunger strike, sit-in protests and courted arrests.It was felt that the decennial celebrations organized by the High Court Advocates’ Association was confined to the legal fraternity only and the members of other organizations who participated in the agitation were not invited for the celebrations. The Dharwad Bar Association wanted to involve all those who actively supported the agitation for the Dharwad bench in the celebrations and hence is considering organizing another grand function, said member of Karnataka Bar Council and former Dharwad Bar Association president V D Kamaraddi.A meeting of the Bar Association has been convened on Monday to discuss the matter and a final decision will be taken.An office-bearer of the Bar Association clarified that the proposed celebration is not parallel to the one already held on July 7. “The agitation for the establishment of high court in north Karnataka with its location at Dharwad was launched by lawyers but it soon became a people’s movement with the participation of several organizations. The litigant public was put to lot of inconvenience as the lawyers boycotted courts for months together. However, the public tolerated the inconvenience in the interest of the cause. The government and the High Court finally acceded to the demand realizing the rationale behind the demand. But for the public participation, the High Court Bench would not have been a reality. So we thought it is only fair to celebrate the completion of 10 years of the HC Bench by involving all those who supported the cause” said the office-bearer.Former Dharwad Bar Association president B D Hiremath, who had led the agitation by going on an indefinite hunger strike was conspicuous by his absence at the decennial celebrations on July 7. Explaining his absence, Hiremath had stated that he had heard about the celebrations but had not received any invitation.

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