The upgradation of two Karnataka High Court Circuit Benches to permanent benches today received the nod of President Pranab Mukherjee.
The Permanent Bench Dharwad will come into operation on August 24, while the one at Gulbarga will become operational on August 31, according to the 'High Court of Karnataka (Establishment of Pernanent Benches at Dharwad and Gulbarga) Order, 2013' signed by Mukherjee.
The Union Cabinet had approved upgrading the circuit benches to permanent benches in June.
Under the order, the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court has been empowered to nominate judges from his High Court to sit at Dharwad for cases arising in Bagalkot, Bellary, Belgaum, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Uttara Kannada-Karwar and Koppal districts.
Judges sitting at the Gulbarga bench will look after cases arising in Bidar, Bijapur, Gulbarga and Raichur districts of the state.
The order also gives the Karnataka HC Chief Justice the discretionary power to order any case or class of cases arising in any of the districts to be heard at the principal bench at Bangalore.
