Bhatkal/Dharwad: The Dharwad High Court bench has been given an interim stay on the eviction order issued by Deputy Commissioner and Town Municipal Council (TMC) to the tenants of TMC owned shops in Bhatkal.

Deputy commissioner and TMC CEO had issued order to 63 shop owners to vacate the shops immediately and had initiated the process of re-tendering.

They had also written a letter to police department seeking protection while eviction. Challenging this, business man Manjunath Acharya and others had knocked the doors of High Court. After hearing arguments from both sides, Single bench Judge K Somashekar gave an interim order to stay the eviction process. Advocate A S Patil argued in favour of petitioners.