BHUBANESWAR: Despite claims by the State Government, the Centre on Friday maintained that it has not received a complete proposal to set up a bench of the Orissa High Court in Western Odisha.Replying to a question from Prasanna Acharya (BJD) in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice PP Chaudhary said setting up a bench of Orissa High Court can be initiated by the Central Government only on receipt of all the requisite approvals from the State constitutional authorities and the High Court.
The Minister said in accordance with the recommendations of the Jaswant Singh Commission and judgment of the apex court, benches of the High Court are established after due consideration of a complete proposal from the State Government. The complete proposal should include provision of infrastructure and all expenditure along with the consent of the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned, he said and added that it should also have the consent of the Governor of the State.
The Minister said the State Government had written to the Centre in September, 2013 for establishment of two benches of the High Court in Western and Southern regions of Odisha and the matter was referred to the Chief Justice of the High Court in October, 2013.However, Acharya told this paper that the Minister’s reply was incomplete. The Rajya Sabha member said he has given a special mention in the House on the matter and is yet to get a reply.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Narasingh Mishra flayed both the Centre and State Government over the issue. Criticising the State Government for submitting a faulty proposal, Mishra said the Centre also did not pursue the matter after NDA came to power. Mishra said the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced that a bench of the High Court will be established after receiving a proper proposal from the State Government in this regard.