Sambalpur: The agitation by the lawyers of Western Odisha over a demand for establishment of separate bench of Orissa High Court in the region has taken a new turn with the lawyers deciding to relax their stir following a direction by the apex court, a report said Sunday.
This was stated here by Ashok Das, convener of Central Action Committee (CAC) of lawyers at a press meet held here Sunday. The lawyers in various districts of Western Odisha will join court work but will continue with their symbolic agitation for their demand. Das said respecting the Supreme Court’s directive, lawyers of the Western Odisha Bar Associations will participate in judicial work and court hearings from tomorrow.
Das said this decision has been taken at an emergency meeting of the members of CAC held under the chairmanship of advocate Bijetendriya Pradhan, president of Sambalpur Bar Association Sunday. The lawyers will join the court work regularly and attend to their clients till the next date of hearing in Supreme Court March 23.
Lawyers affiliated to various bars in Western Odisha had been on an agitation over a demand for establishment of separate bench of Orissa High Court since September 2017. The Central Action Committee has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court which the latter accepted and scheduled the next date of hearing.
Das demanded that the state government should file the full fledged report before the apex court regarding the establishment of separate high court bench in Western Odisha.
CAC members Sureswar Mishra said that attempts are being made to foil their agitation but the lawyers will continue with their stir till their demand is fulfilled which is their right.
Earlier, the Odisha State Bar Council (SBC), in a letter to Bar Council of India (BCI), January 22 recommended disciplinary action against the office-bearers of 17 bar associations of western Odisha and the Central Action Committee for indulging in ceasework agitation despite a Supreme Court order to the contrary.
PNN
