HC division bench orders status quo, road renaming

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 21, 2017: The division bench of Karnataka high court headed by Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar has directed all the concerned to maintain status quo with regard to changing the name of Light House Hill Road as on May 24 till the pendency of the writ appeal.

Interim order was issued in response to a writ appeal (5627-5628/2017) filed by the Vijaya Bank Workers’ Organisation (VBWO) and Karunakar Shetty, former president, VBWO.

Karunakar Shetty just stated that the high court has vacated the stay on renaming of Light House Hill (LHH) Road after Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty, former CMD of Vijaya Bank and ordered that status quo be maintained.

HC has also stayed the writ petition (34038-34038/2017) filed by Mangaluru City South MLA J R Lobo against the order issued by the under secretary, urban development department, on May 24 naming LHH Road after Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty.

Noting that high court has served notice to Lobo with regard to his writ petition, Karunkar Shetty said the HC in it’s interim order also directed all the concerned - the appellants - VBWO and himself and the respondents - the state government represented by the chief secretary, deputy commissioner, Dakshina Kannada district, commissioner, Mangaluru City Corporation, and the planning officer, district town planning office, DK - to maintain status quo on naming the road.

Upbeat about the interim order, Karunakar Shetty is reported to have said that the government at least now cannot nullify the original resolution adopted by MCC in naming the stretch of road from Ambedkar Circle to Catholic Club after Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty.

"If respondents fail to file their reply as stipulated in the interim order, HC is bound to dispose the case in our favour," he said. VBWO had planned to unveil the plaque naming Lighthouse Hill Road after Sundar Ram Shetty on July 2.