The High Court on Friday directed the State government to shift the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) office from the BDA Complex, Indiranagar, to the newly-built Kandaya Bhavan on Kempegowda Road before September 2.
Passing the order on a PIL filed by one N P Amruthesh, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice B V Nagarathna observed, “KAT started functioning at Indiranagar BDA Complex from 1986-87 and it is away from the High Court and other courts. Advocates who are practising in the High Court and other lower courts, who are attending the KAT, are finding it very much difficult to attend (its proceedings) during the peak hours due to heavy traffic in that area. An advocate was also killed in a road mishap when he was travelling to KAT to attend the case. The State government is spending several lakhs of rupees on rent for the KAT building.” Earlier, the counsel representing the government stated that work going on at the place where KAT is supposed to be shifted and the government will see the place and examine so that KAT can be shifted to that place and sought time for the purpose. The PWD is expected to complete the work in two months and another one month may take to shift, he added. Following this submission, the bench passed the order and adjourned the case for further hearing.