A section of industry and citizens’ organisations in the State capital have urged political parties to fulfil the promise they had purportedly made to reinstate the High Court Bench in Thiruvananthapuram without further delay.
In a statement, Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) president S.N. Raghuchandran Nair bemoaned the lack of action from the State and Central governments, and the Opposition in realising the demand.
“The promise of restitution of the High Court Bench has become a mere ritual in election manifestos. Once the elections are over, not only is there a noticeable lack of action and progress, but political parties also conveniently forget the commitment. The people of the capital cannot be hoodwinked and can see through the empty promises,” he said, while cautioning that the people will come together against the alleged indifference in the upcoming elections.
The organisations reasoned that a significant number of cases pending before the Kerala High Court involved the State government as a party and that having a Bench in the capital would save money and time spent on travel of government officials to Ernakulam.
According to Trivandrum Agenda Task Force secretary K. Srikant, the demand for a Bench in the capital is a few decades old. High Court Benches with full filing powers were operational in Thiruvananthapuram from 1882 to 1956. He added that the majority of the States have multiple Benches for the respective High Courts.
They called upon people’s representatives at all levels and cutting across political fronts to prioritise the establishment of a Bench in the State capital region. This is key to ensuring convenience and prompt judicial services, they pointed out.
