New Delhi: Coming down heavily on the strike of lawyers at Orissa High Court, the Supreme Court Tuesday observed that “working of judicial system cannot be brought to standstill.”
A two-judge bench of the apex court comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph asked the counsel appearing for Orissa High Court whether the local police are in a position to ensure the court runs smoothly, failing which para- military forces would have to be deployed for which directions can be issued to the central government.
“To say the least, this is completely unacceptable. The working of the judicial system cannot be brought to a standstill. We are of the view that adequate security arrangements must be made to keep the temple of justice open. We have inquired from the learned counsel as to what steps have been taken by the High Court towards the said objective and whether the local police are in a position to ensure the same, failing which para-military forces would have to be deployed for which directions can be issued to the central government,” the bench observed.
The apex court observed that the report of the Registrar General of the Orissa High Court suggested that there was no problem in the working of the court. However, the counsel appearing for Orissa High Court, Sibo Shankar Mishra stated that working of the court has been made almost impossible.
“The learned counsel who has entered appearance for the High Court of Orissa portrays a different picture and states that working of the court has been made almost impossible and even the proceedings in suo motu contempt no 1854 of 2019 had to be deferred on account of the unsavoury environment created by the lawyers,” the bench observed. The apex court granted two days time to the High Court for making necessary arrangements and give suggestions in the matter. The matter will come up for hearing October 24. Lawyers have boycotted all benches of the High Court since October 14 condemning the appointment of judges in the High Court as per the recommendations of the Supreme Court Collegium among other issues.