CUTTACK: Representatives of more than a 100 Bar Associations participated in all Odisha lawyers meet convened by High Court Bar Association here on Friday.Association president Gopal Krushna Mohanty said representatives of 93 Bar Associations participated in the meeting while another 13 associations participated by way of written communication.
Mohanty said notices issued to 68 Bar Associations by Orissa High Court after registering a suo motu contempt case and persisting vacancies in subordinate courts at all levels, including High Court, were discussed at the meeting.
A 14-judge bench of the HC had issued notices to president and secretary of 68 Bar Associations including HC Bar Association in the case over lawyers’ strike in different places.“It was decided that the associations served with notice in the suo motu contempt proceeding for obstruction of administration of justice due to strikes by lawyers would file their respective replies and fight the case individually”, Mohanty said.
The issue of persisting vacancies in the posts of junior officers in almost all subordinate courts and High Court was also discussed at the meeting. It was decided that a State-level committee would be constituted soon to take up the issue.
The High Court Bar Association has been boycotting court work since October 14 “to show protest against” the October 3 resolution of Supreme Court collegium regarding appointment of judges of Orissa High Court. The next course of action will be decided on October 21.The association has also demanded abolition of collegium system of appointment of judges of High Court. To press for the demand the association had given a State-wide call for one-day boycott of court work on Friday. Mohanty claimed that almost all the bar associations in the State had responded to the call and abstained from court work in their respective places on Friday. There are 156 Bar Associations in the State.