SAMBALPUR: Lawyers of District Bar Association (DBA), Sambalpur, who have been on agitation over the demand for the establishment of a permanent bench of High Court (HC) in Western Odisha since September 5, paralysed the camp court at Sambalpur Circle Jail here on Friday.
They staged a demonstration in front of the main gate of the circle jail and did not allow the judges to hold the camp court, which was started from October 29.
On October 30, the agitating lawyers had given a 72-hour ultimatum to the Orissa HC to give its view in this regard as sought by the Union Law Minister. President of DBA Bijitendriya Pradhan said they did not allow the camp court to be held in the circle jail as the HC did not give its view within the stipulated period.
He alleged that the HC has been adopting dilly-dallying approach on the demand for HC bench in Western Odisha since 2013. They would not allow the camp court until their demand is fulfilled, he said.
Pradhan informed that a meeting of the Central Action Committee of the All-Western Odisha Bar Associations will be held at Attabira in Bargarh district on November 12 where next course of action would be decided.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of Sambalpur Circle Jail, Amiya Pattnaik said 176 UTPs have been granted bail in the last four days. As on Friday, there are 924 inmates in the jail against its capacity of 541.