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Puttur court building ready; relief from old structures soon
Udayavani | January 18, 2026 10:40 PM CST

Puttur: A new court building constructed at a cost of Rs 51 crore at Anemajalu, about six kilometres from the city on Uppinangady Road, is ready for inauguration by the end of January.

Official records show that courts in Puttur have a history of more than 150 years. As the new court building is set to be inaugurated, it marks an important milestone, reflecting the long journey of the judicial system in the town from its early days to the present.

1860 document reference

The earliest reference to a court in Puttur is found in a registered document from 1860. While describing property boundaries, the document mentions a road leading to the Munsiff Court. This road corresponds to the present stretch from the old post office area to the Forest Department office. Based on this, historians confirm that the Munsiff Court and its office were located near the present Forest Department office at Nellikatte. This establishes that the Puttur court has a history of over 150 years.

Century-old building

In 1880, a court building with a tower was constructed at the present court premises, where the Puttur District Munsiff Court began functioning. The building, which stood for 111 years, collapsed on August 26, 1989. Court proceedings continued for two years in the remaining portion of the structure. From 1991, until a new building was constructed, court proceedings were held in a rented building near the Sri Mahalingeshwara Temple. The current court building was inaugurated in 1996, and six courts are presently functioning there.

Construction over six years

  • The four-storey district court complex at Anemajalu, built at a cost of Rs 51 crore, is now ready for inauguration. The construction was carried out in two phases, with the final phase executed under the supervision of the Public Works Department. 
  • The foundation stone for the first phase, costing Rs 25 crore, was laid on November 10, 2018. Due to delays in the tender process, construction began on May 11, 2019, and was completed in 2021.
  • In the first phase, the first two floors of the court building were constructed. In addition, a four-storey advocates’ association building was constructed next to the court complex at a cost of Rs 3 crore with the participation of the judiciary and the advocates’ association.
  • In December 2021, Supreme Court judge Justice Abdul Nazeer inaugurated the first phase and the advocates’ building and laid the foundation stone for the second phase. The second phase, which began in 2021, included the construction of the remaining two floors of the court complex and residential quarters for judges at a cost of Rs 26 crore. A well-developed approach road was also constructed.

    Expansion to six courts

    The District Munsiff Court was established about one and a half centuries ago. Old court furniture still bears the inscription “DMC,” referring to the District Munsiff Court. The court, now known as the Principal Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate First Class Court, has expanded over time as the number of cases increased. At present, six courts are functioning.

    Inauguration on January 31

    The court complex has been constructed at a total cost of around Rs 51 crore. Along with the main building, an advocates’ association building costing Rs 3 crore has already been inaugurated. The second phase of construction has been completed and the entire complex will be inaugurated on January 31, said Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai.

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