The Advocates’ Association Bengaluru (AAB) on Thursday staged a symbolic dharna outside the Golden Jubilee Gate of the Karnataka High Court, alleging a complete administrative breakdown in the functioning of courts across Bengaluru due to the alleged administrative indifference of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and the High Court administration.
The Association claimed that repeated representations highlighting long-pending grievances relating to judicial administration, infrastructure, court functioning and case management had failed to elicit any meaningful response, compelling members of the Bar to resort to protest.
The demonstration was attended by several senior members of the Bar, including former AAB presidents DL Jagadish, MT Nanaiah, AN Gangadharaiah and S Basavaraj, Bar Council of Karnataka members S Harish, Gautam Chand and Rajanna, former treasurer HMT Ravi, HR Anitha, U Sandhya Prabhu and several practising advocates.
The Association alleged that despite repeated communications addressed to the Registry and the Chief Justice, including letters submitted in April 2026 and earlier, the High Court administration had maintained an intransigent and unresponsive approach towards issues affecting the justice delivery system.
According to the Association, one of the most pressing concerns is the existence of nearly 20 vacant courts in the Bengaluru City Civil Court complex, resulting in substantial judicial vacancies, mounting case pendency, delays in disposal of matters and increased burden on functioning courts.
The lawyers contended that litigants were facing considerable hardship as a consequence of the prolonged vacancies, while fresh matters before the High Court were allegedly not being listed within a reasonable timeframe, making it difficult for advocates to secure urgent hearings.
The protesting advocates further alleged serious procedural irregularities in the functioning of several courts. They claimed that memoranda filed by advocates were not being accepted, petitions were not being listed for hearing, and in certain instances judges had allegedly returned petitions without proper consideration. The Association also alleged that bench clerks and ministerial staff had effectively assumed administrative functions within courtrooms and claimed that court filings in litigation sections were being scrutinised by personnel without legal qualifications. It demanded that legally qualified staff be appointed to handle scrutiny of pleadings and filings to ensure procedural compliance and institutional accountability.
The AAB also raised concerns regarding the deteriorating physical infrastructure across the High Court, City Civil Courts, Magistrate Courts and Mayo Hall court complexes. It alleged that inadequate infrastructure continued to impede the administration of justice despite contributions made by the Bar towards improving court facilities.
Particular concern was expressed over the newly constructed seven-storey Magistrate Court annex building, where only one lift was reportedly operational, while several elevators remained non-functional. The Association stated that the lack of functioning lifts had caused serious inconvenience to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, advocates and litigants, many of whom were compelled to climb multiple flights of stairs to access courtrooms.
Women advocates participating in the protest also highlighted the absence of adequate sanitation facilities in subordinate courts. They alleged that in certain court complexes, male and female advocates were compelled to use the same washroom, forcing women lawyers to wait until male advocates had vacated the facilities before they could use them. The Association described the lack of basic amenities as inconsistent with the dignity and safety expected within judicial institutions.
Addressing the gathering, members of the Bar alleged that there was an increasing lack of accountability within the justice delivery system and urged the Chief Justice to address the grievances without further delay. They also appealed to judges and judicial officers to maintain professional respect towards members of the Bar, observing that judges and magistrates themselves had emerged from the legal profession and should avoid creating an adversarial atmosphere between the Bench and the Bar.
AAB President Vivek Subba Reddy and General Secretary H.V. Praveen Gowda described the protest as a symbolic demonstration intended to draw attention to the prevailing administrative deficiencies. They stated that advocates had become increasingly frustrated by persistent institutional failures and warned that if immediate corrective measures were not taken, the Association would be compelled to intensify its agitation and consider further collective action.
The protest had originally been scheduled for July 16 but was postponed to July 22 following the demise of an Association staff member. The Governing Council had decided to organise the dharna after concluding that repeated attempts to engage with the High Court administration had failed to produce any substantive response to the Bar’s long-standing concerns regarding judicial vacancies, infrastructure deficiencies and delays affecting the administration of justice.
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