Orissa High Court lawyers resume work after three weeks

Cuttack: After abstaining from work for more than three weeks in protest against the appointment system of existing judges, lawyers of the Orissa High Court returned to work Monday.

Members of the Orissa High Court Bar Association had November 1 unanimously decided to ‘suspend’ their strike and resume work, claiming that Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had assured them to look into their grievances and demands.

The full bench of the High Court adjourned Monday the hearing of the suo motu contempt petition it had initiated against 68 bar associations of the state including that of the High Court, to November 29.

Concerned over frequent strikes by lawyers in the state, the High Court, in an unprecedented move, had last month initiated a contempt case against the state bar associations. Accordingly, all bar associations of the state and the State Bar Council were issued notices to file counters.

Although the High Court Bar Association has filed its counter to the contempt petition, the remaining bar associations have sought additional time to file their replies.

In view of this, the High Court has ‘kept in abeyance’ its decision on the High Court Bar Association and adjourned the hearing to the month-end.

The Supreme Court is also scheduled to hear November 8 a matter related to the strike by Odisha lawyers for which the apex court has sought for a personal appearance of the Odisha State Bar Council chairman and the Bar Association president.

PTI