Jalpaiguri set for bench

TT, 8 March 2019, Calcutta/Jalpaiguri: Jalpaiguri and north Bengal are set for Saturday's inauguration of the circuit bench of Calcutta High Court.

According to sources in the high court, Acting Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder will make the bench operational. Governor K.N. Tripathi and chief minister Mamata Banerjee will also be present at the function, along with more than 20 judges of the high court.

The bench, which marks the fulfilment of a longstanding demand of north Bengal, will start functioning from Monday, sourcs said.

At present a division bench and single bench judges will hear the cases. Acting Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder and Justice Arindam Mukherjee will hear cases in the division bench while Justice Md Mumtaz Khan and Justice Madumati Mitra will sit in the single judge's bench, the sources said.

The state had identified land in Jalpaiguri and allotted funds to set up permanent building of the bench.

According to sources, four courtrooms, the Chief Justice's chamber and chambers The circuit bench building in Jalpaiguri. (Biplab Basak) of other judges, rooms for registrar, government pleader and public prosecutors, IT room, a library and an e-li- brary, a video-conferencing room, bar association sitting room have been developed in the premises.

Another building located close to it has been chosen for the offices which will run with the circuit bench.

"The entire Jalpaiguri is eagerly waiting for the March 9 ceremony as it has been a longstanding demand of the residents. The bench would largely help north Bengal residents who had to travel to Calcutta so far," said Kamal Krishna Banerjee, a senior lawyer who had participated in several movements for the circuit bench.