Lawyers of 33 Bar Associations, which have been fighting for High Court bench in the region, have suspended their agitation till second week of November after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal in this regard.
The Central Action Committee (CAC) of All Western Odisha Bar Association (AWOBA) will meet again in thesecond week of November at Nuapada to discuss on the future course of action.
The State Government on Saturday recommended to the Centre to establish High Court benches in Western and Southern Odisha districts. The demand had led to boycott of the urban body polls (ULBs) in nine Western Odisha districts.
A copy of the Chief Minister’s letter was handed over to the CAC by Sub-Collector of Boudh Biswanath Sahu on Sunday.
As the CAC is not sure about the time frame of establishment of the High Court bench, it has decided to continue its cease-work on the last three working days of every month till establishment of the bench. No decision has been taken on ULB polls.
Convener of CAC Ashok Das said there was still a long way to go before the High Court bench in the region becomes a reality. He was, however, critical of the High Court Bar Association members who had met the Chief Minister on Saturday opposing the establishment of permanent bench of the High Court at different places.
In a release, Sambalpur District Bar Association (SDBA) informed that the State Government offices and judiciary will remain closed on Monday in protest against the divisive stand of the High Court Bar Association. Besides, a delegation of All Western Odisha Bar Association would visit New Delhi soon to meet the Union Law Minister.
BJD Workers Rejoice
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s letter to Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal on establishment of a permanent bench of High Court has come as a breather to the people here who had been bearing the brunt of lawyers’ strike for the last 41 days.
The lawyers have decided to suspend their agitation till second week of November. Owing to the lawyers’ cease-work for the demand, the State Government offices and judiciary had been closed since August 20.
After the letter of Naveen was made public, fire-crackers were burst in front of the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (North), where agitating lawyers were on relay hunger strike, by BJD supporters led by district BJD president Rohit Pujari late on Saturday night.
On Sunday, they took out a motorcycle rally from district party office and reached Samaleswari temple after moving around the town.