Karnataka HC's Dharwad Bench to Have 10 Women Judges

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Friday, 31 July 2026

In a first for the High Court of Karnataka, all the judicial Benches in the Dharwad Bench will function exclusively with 10 women judges of the High Court on August 1.

The Advocate-General Shashi Kiran Shetty issued a notification on July 30th about the allocation of work to government advocates for the special sitting of female judges. The law officers will be going to the city Dharwad on Friday.

Additional Government Advocate Nandini Somapur, Pramodhini Kishan, Savithramma, Sunita Sequeria, B P Radha, Mamatha Shetty, Mala B Bhoote, Hemalatha V, Prathibha R K, High Court Government Pleaders Ratnamala, Chandini S, Sowmya R, Waheeda, Deepthi Alva are the law officers who will appear before the bench.

The historic list of all women judges was released on July 23, coinciding with the International Women's Day (IWD), when Dharwad Advocates' Association had sought it from Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru in March. There are 7 benches in Dharwad bench. In addition to two women judges presiding at three division benches, there will be four single-judge benches presided by women.

Key Highlights:

• All 10 women judges will preside over the Dharwad Bench on August 1, marking a historic first
• The all-women benches will hear civil, criminal, constitutional, and other key cases
• The special sitting promotes gender justice and women’s empowerment in the legal profession

Justices Anu Sivaraman, K G Shanthi, Jyoti M, P Sree Sudha, Lalitha Kanneganti, K S Hemalekha, Dr Chillakur Sumalatha, Tara Vitasta Ganju, Geetha K B, and Rajeshwari N Hegde will preside over the women bench.

“The sitting is a symbol of gender justice and empowerment and will be a source of inspiration to young women advocates, law students, and female legal practitioners across North Karnataka and the nation,” B D Hiremath, president of the Dharwad Advocates’ Association, said.

A critical aspect of this special sitting is that it does not confine the all-women benches to a limited or ceremonial docket. The jurisdiction assigned spans the full breadth of High Court business, encompassing civil and criminal matters, constitutional writ petitions, appellate proceedings, family law, tax litigation, service matters, labour disputes, motor vehicle appeals, arbitration petitions, and commercial suits.

Division Bench No. 1 (Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice K.G. Shanthi) is entrusted with all Division Bench writ and civil matters not specifically assigned elsewhere, covering both preliminary hearings and final hearings. Division Bench No. 2 (Justice Jyoti M. and Justice P. Sree Sudha) handles Miscellaneous First Appeals arising from Motor Vehicle, Workmen's Compensation, and ESI matters, along with Writ Appeals relating to Labour, Service, and KVOA cases, and all Division Bench tax matters. Division Bench No. 3 (Justice Lalitha Kanneganti and Justice K.S. Hemalekha) addresses Family Court appeals, Writ Appeals concerning Motor Vehicle, KEB, and Excise matters, and Writ Petitions related to KSAT. Among the Single Benches, Justice Rajeshwari N. Hegde is notably assigned all categories of criminal matters, demonstrating that women judges preside over the most serious areas of law with equal authority and competence.