No 'complete proposal' to set up bench of any High Court: Government

Amid frequent demands by members of Parliament to set up high court benches in various parts of the country, the government Thursday said there is no "complete proposal" at present pending in this regard. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said during the last five years, a circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court was established at Jalpaiguri with effect from February 2, 2019.

"At present there is no complete proposal pending with the government for setting up of Bench(es) of any high court," he said in a written reply.

Lawmakers, including those from Uttar Pradesh, have been raising the demand to set up high court benches.


The minister said high court benches are established in accordance with the recommendations made by the Jaswant Singh Commission and judgment pronounced by the Supreme Court.

He said the Central government considers a complete proposal from the state government which has to provide necessary expenditure and infrastructural facilities and the chief justice of the concerned high court is required to look after the day-to-day administration of the high court.

The proposal to be complete should also have the consent of the governor of the state concerned.