Goa, July 13 -- With over half the trial courts in Margao lying vacant for months, the South Goa Advocates Association (SGAA) has decided to approach the High Court of Bombay at Goa through a writ petition, urging urgent appointments to restore the functioning of one of the state's busiest judicial complexes.

Following an extraordinary meeting chaired by association president Prasad Naik, the SGAA said the prolonged shortage of presiding judges has brought proceedings in Margao to a near-standstill, especially in civil matters. "Of the ten trial courts in Margao catering to Salcete taluka, six are currently without judges," Naik told reporters. "It's a situation that's been allowed to fester for far too long."

The Margao court complex h...