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Ganjam bar association ends cease work agitation

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

The meeting of Ganjam Bar Association in progress in Berhampur on Monday. —

BERHAMPUR: The lawyers of the Ganjam Bar Association decided to end their five-month-long cease work agitation on Monday at a meeting of the bar association in the city.

It was marathon meeting of the bar association, which started from 11.30 a.m. and continued till 4 p.m. The president of the bar association, S.N. Rath said after ample discussions majority of the lawyers of the association were found to be in favour of ending the cease work agitation. So, the bar association decided to join for court work. Meanwhile, a small group of lawyers had opposed the move.

A team of lawyers led by Mr. Rath met the district judge of Ganjam and Gajapati at around 5 p.m. to inform him about their decision.

The lawyers will start the official work in the court from Tuesday. They have requested the district judge to give them one week’s time to restart the hearing of cases for their clients.

Mr. Rath said the court would resume its regular work including hearing of cases from May 13.

The cease work agitation began on December 4 last, demanding establishment of a permanent bench of the High Court in the city.

The courts in the city had become defunct due to this agitation by the lawyers.

The High Court had to intervene and directed the Ganjam district police and administration to take stepes to get Berhampur district judge court reopened. After a gap of 139 days on April 22 the district judge and other judges entered the court premises amidst massive deployment of police force and lathi charge on agitating lawyers. More than 29 lawyers were arrested.

In Monday’s meeting the bar association also decided to continue its peaceful agitation for the demand of High Court bench. “Last four days of every month would be used for this purpose but we would decide the mode of our demonstrations during the meetings to be held later,” said Mr Rath.

As per the directive of the Orissa High Court, Mr. Rath has sent in an affidavit regarding the agitation of Ganjam bar association to the High Court.

The president of the bar association was asked to file the affidavit by May 6. He would have to appear before the High Court in person on May 12 during hearing of a PIL related to the agitation of lawyers.

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