SAMBALPUR: The Central Action Committee (CAC) of All Western Odisha Bar Association (AWOBA) declared that lawyers would participate in regular hearing of cases in courts across the region from Monday.The decision was taken during a meeting of CAC held here on Sunday.
The lawyers have been agitating since September 5, 2018 over the demand for establishment of High Court Bench in Western Odisha. The agitating lawyers though participated in all court works, they refrained from regular hearing of cases since March 2019.
Addressing mediapersons, CAC member Sureshwar Mishra said the committee appeared before the Supreme Court on February 17 and filed an affidavit furnishing details of the agitation for establishment of a permanent bench of Orissa High Court in the region.
The apex court accepted the affidavit and enlisted it for hearing on March 23. As per the direction of the apex court, the CAC resolved that the lawyers would participate in the regular hearing of cases.
In a related development, the CAC gave an ultimatum to the State Government to send a comprehensive proposal to the Centre for establishment of the HC bench in the region. CAC convenor Ashok Dash said if the State Government fails to send the proposal to the Centre by March 31 this year, the lawyers will intensify their agitation.