Odisha CM rules out HC bench proposal, sparks backlash

The reply of Majhi to Randhari’s question was also similar. Randhari wanted to know about the places where the state government was planning to establish bench of the HC.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Photo | Express

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday stated in the Assembly that there is no justification for establishment of a bench of Orissa High Court in any part of the state as per a Supreme Court verdict.

In separate written replies to questions from Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo and Manohar Randhari (both BJD), the chief minister said, “As per the Supreme Court verdict, there is no justification in having a bench of the Orissa High Court in any part of the state.” Singh Deo wanted to know whether Odisha government had any proposal to set up a circuit bench of HC in Balangir.

The reply of Majhi to Randhari’s question was also similar. Randhari wanted to know about the places where the state government was planning to establish bench of the HC.

In December 2022, the Supreme Court had observed that the demand for a bench of the Orissa High Court had become obsolete with the passage of time and advancement in technology. It also noted that Odisha was not a large state requiring permanent bench of the HC outside Cuttack. The apex court’s verdict came after vandalism on Sambalpur court premises on November 12, 2022 over the HC bench demand.

Meanwhile, the CM’s statement sparked strong reaction from the Opposition political parties. Former Law minister and veteran Congress leader Narasingha Mishra warned that such an attitude by the Centre and the state government will lead to division of Odisha and formation of Koshala state.

“The state government should have recommended the place where the HC bench will be set up after discussion with the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court and the Governor. However, it never did that,” Mishra said.

Former leader of the Opposition and senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra also differed from the chief minister on the issue. He said the BJP has not retracted its demand for HC bench in western Odisha.

Following the vandalism of Sambalpur court, Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari, who was then the MP of Bargarh, had raised the demand for HC bench in western Odisha in Lok Sabha in December, 2022. The Centre had then said a bench can be set up after due consideration of a complete proposal from the state government.

Then chief minister Naveen Patnaik had written twice to the Centre on September 5, 2018 and January 11, 2019 on the issue. However, the issue remained inconclusive with the Centre and state government putting the blame on each other.