The members of the Belagavi Bar Association (BBA) intensified their agitation in support of their demand for establishment of a bench of Karnataka Administrative Tribunal in the city by training their guns at the chief minister Siddaramaiah for delaying official announcement in this regard.
The agitated members staged angry protest near Rani Channamma circle and burnt the effigy of the chief minister and boycotted court work for the third day on Wednesday.
The BBA members have been agitating for establishment of the KAT bench for the past ten months, but had suspended for some time after an assurance from the Law and Parliamentary minister T.B. Jayachandra and Excise Minister and district in-charge Satish L. Jarkiholi in the recent past that the government would consider their demand. However, in view of the winter session of the State legislature scheduled to be held here from Dec 9, the advocates launched a fresh indefinite agitation by staging dharna within the court premises on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Market Police have registered cases against the advocates under Sections 143, 147, 148, and 427 of The Prevention of Destruction and Loss of Property Act, 1981 in connection with the destruction of property at the Deputy Commissioner’s office building. Some of the advocates had damaged the name plate at door of the deputy commissioner N. Jayaram’s chamber, besides breaking a few flower pots and the railing along the corridor on Tuesday.
