Bangalore: Karnataka High Court Tuesday orally directed the government to relocate the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar installed in the precincts of Vidhana Soudha in a ceremonial way on a petition filed by dalit organisations challenging the court’s order that the statue be shifted.

After a memo was filed by the earlier petitioner, advocate A V Amaranathan, pointing out the statue at present was hanging from the pedestal which was disrespectful to Ambedkar, a Division Bench headed by acting Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao observed “agree for a relocation. Let it be done on a ceremonial way. It is not respectful to keep the statue hanging”.

The counsel for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation submitted that the statue will be lowered once the work is completed.

The court earlier sought to know from the petitioners (dalit organisations) in what way the dignity of the personality is affected by relocating his statute and asked them to suggest a place where it can be relocated.

The court then adjourned the petition to tomorrow.

It is on the earlier petition filed by Amaranathan seeking shifting of the statue as it was impeding the metro rail work in the city, that the court had passed the order for its shifting.