The actors who played a role in the establishment of the Bench

The actors who played a role in the establishment of the Bench
The Hindu

DHARWAD: A few people have played a crucial role in bringing to fruition the dream of having a Bench of the Karnataka High Court in north Karnataka.

They are the late D.K. Naikar, who officially suggested the proposal in the 1970s, and H.K. Patil, under whose watch the dream has become a reality, both Law Ministers; three High Court Chief Justices: the late D.M. Chandrashekar, who gave his consent to the proposal; N.K. Jain, who sanctioned two circuit Benches before retiring last year; and the current Chief Justice, N.K. Sodhi, who laid the foundation stone for the bench in Hubli-Dharwad; and B.D. Hiremath, president of the Dharwad Bar Association.

Non-official player

While the first five discharged their responsibilities in their official capacity, Mr. Hiremath is the only non-official, who doggedly pursued the matter.

Mr. Hiremath took over as president of the Bar Association in 1996. He also happens to be a member of the Karnataka State Bar Council of which he was vice-chairman for a term.

Mr. Hiremath has proved to be an indefatigable fighter for the cause. He never tired of knocking on the doors of the Prime Minister, the Union and State Law Ministers, the Chief Minister, the Chief Justice or whoever mattered, for the cause.

In 1999, he began an indefinite fast in support of the cause, which was called of on the 19th day, following the assurance that the High Court would take a second look into the matter of establishing the Bench.

In July this year Mr. Hiremath began another fast, which lasted for 11 days. This was is protest against the silence maintained by the State Government and the Karnataka High Court in following up on the October 2004 notification issued by the High Court sanctioning two circuit Benches in Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga.

During the past nine years, he has held 28 eight demonstrations in Bangalore pressing for the Bench.

He played a crucial in the Bar associations of the region giving a written undertaking leaving the selection of the location of the Bench to the Chief Justice of the High Court.