Shimla Bar Association members today met Governor Urmila Singh and submitted a memorandum of demands to him,the main being their opposition to the shifting of the district court complex from its present Mall Road location to a new one at Chakkar on the outskirts of Shimla. The Association marched all the way through Mall Road up to Raj Bhawan to register their protest. Their memorandum stated that lawyers were not taken into confidence before deciding on the coming court complex at Chakkar,even as a petition filed by them was pending in the High Court on the matter of seeking a new space for the district courts. At present the district courts have been accommodated in a congested building next to the office of the Superintendent of Police,Shimla district while the new location is at least 10 km from the High Court. The lawyers also pointed out that the projects foundation was laid by a former Chief Justice of India for a 100-bigha plot but that has now been reduced to 19.5 bighas. Shimla Bar Association President Harsh Khanna said that the Governor gave them a patient hearing and assured them that he would invite the governments opinion on the matter to resolve the issue. The Bar Association also sought a CBI inquiry into the way the decision to shifting the court complex was taken,keeping lawyers in the dark. The lawyers said that the High Court committee that had been entrusted with the task of looking after the activities of the new complex had promised that no trees would be cut for it. But 600 trees have been cut.
