'Process to reinstate high court bench in Thiruvananthapuram'

New Delhi, Sep 22: The process to reinstate a bench of the Kerala High Court in Thiruvananthapuram is in the final stage, Law Minister M. Vijayakumar said here Monday.

The state government is waiting for the nod of the law ministry, which is seriously considering the matter following Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention, Vijayakumar told IANS.

A final decision in this regard would be made immediately after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh returned from the US, Vijayakumar, who discussed the matter with Defence Minister A.K. Antony, said.

The law ministry has to put up a proposal and will present it in the cabinet and once the cabinet gives its nod, the president can issue the order, the minister said.

"Antony assured me that the issue of high court bench would be the first matter to be discussed when he meets the prime minister after the US tour," the minister said.

Besides, Antony would also take up the issue with Law Minister H.R. Bharadwaj, he said, adding the defence minister has assured all possible help to fulfil the long-standing demand of the people of the state.

Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthananthan and Vijayakumar had raised the issue before the prime minister when they met him at his office Sep 6.

Kerala legislature has unanimously passed two resolutions to reinstate the high court in the state capital, where it functioned till 1958, the minister said.

"There was a high court in Thiruvananthapuram in 1947 and it became a high court bench following the establishment of Kerala High Court in Kochi after the formation of the state in 1956," the minister said.

Lawyers in Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association are on strike demanding the reinstatement of the high court bench.However, Kerala High Court Chief Justice H.L. Dattu opposed the lawyers' demand.