A forum for advocates of South India have petitioned the President and the Chief Justice of India to set up a Supreme Court Bench in the southern states dedicated to adjudication of disputes involving/originating from the areas to save litigant’s time and effort, reported The Hindu.

A joint action committee under the aegis of this south India-based forum consisting of lawyers of four states and the Union Territory of Puducherry was constituted last week and a resolution was passed calling for the establishment of such a bench.

According to The Hindu, the forum said that around 2.50 lakhs lawyers practicing in the southern courts would be forced to boycott court work if their demand for a separate bench is not fulfilled.

Percentage of litigation

Litigation in the Supreme Court from this part of the country was 25 per cent. This necessitated establishing a Supreme Court Bench in the South. Poor people were virtually denied the right to approach the apex court due to the time and distance involved. The country's population had increased in the last 60 years which necessitated the establishment of Supreme Court Benches.