High Court Bar Association calls off cease-work agitation

Bhubaneswar:  The Orissa High Court Bar Association Friday called off their cease-work agitation and announced to resume court work from November 4.

The development came after the Supreme Court directed the bar association to end the agitation. October 24, the Apex court observed that there was little doubt that the conduct of the lawyers fell within the domain of contempt.

“Following Supreme Court’s judgement on disruption in court work and keeping in view larger interests of people, we have called off our strike,” informed Gopalkrushna Mohanty, President, Orissa High Court Bar Association.

“We will resume work from Monday, but we will continue to press for our demands at different forums. We have lost confidence in the Collegium,” Mohanty said.

Notably, the lawyers have been abstaining from court work since October 14 protesting the recommendations of some names by the Supreme Court Collegium for appointment of judges in the High Court.

The Collegium has recommended names of advocate Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi and judicial officer Bibhu Prasad Routray to be appointed as Orissa High Court judges.

After the Supreme Court observation, the Bar Council of India (BCI) also asked the agitating lawyers to withdraw their ongoing cease-work stir.

(IANS)