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Lawyers’ stir hits work

CUTTACK: The business in the High Court and all other lower courts in Cuttack were paralysed on Thursday as lawyers across the city boycotted the proceedings against the reported move made by the government to open circuit benches of the High Court in Berhampur and Sambalpur.

Even as the judges of the High Court and other presiding officers of lower courts turned up to decide the cases, no work was possible in any court in absence of the lawyers. The Orissa High Court Bar Association on Wednesday had given the boycott call that would continue till Friday.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reportedly requested the Chief Justice to consider establishing permanent benches of the High Court in the southern and western cities of the State in view of the public demand.

Condemning the move by the Chief Minister, members of the bar urged the Chief Justice to reject the request and desist the government from pursuing what they called the “ill conceived decision.”

The lawyers, in a resolution on Wednesday, said that such a request from the Chief Minister had given rise to several agitations in different parts of the State, which was detrimental to public interest. Quoting extensively from various Law Commissions, they said that setting up of benches at different places was “undesirable.”

“Eminent jurists have consistently opined that in order to maintain the highest standard of justice, it is essential that the High Court should function as a whole and at one place in the State,” said president of the bar association Yeeshan Mohanty.

Responding to the call of the bar, members of other bar associations in the city also boycotted their respective courts.

BERHAMPUR: The Orissa Lawyers’ Association has supported the demand for establishment of circuit benches of Orissa High Court in Berhampur and Sambalpur. This was decided at a meeting held in the city.

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