CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 on a lawyer for causing unnecessary adjournment in a case. The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice SK Panigrahi on Tuesday directed for payment of the fine after it found the counsel for petitioners to be absent.
The bench said, “It is extremely unfortunate that despite a specific date having been fixed for the matter, the counsel is absent and has instructed his colleague to simply inform the court that he is unable to attend the court. The court fails to appreciate it”.
“As a result, this petition is having to be unnecessarily adjourned today. For causing this adjournment, the Court directs costs of Rs 5,000 only be deposited by counsel for the petitioners with the Orissa High Court Legal Services Committee on or before July 5, 2021”, the bench said in its order.
The court directed for the proof of payment of costs to be placed on record by July 29 on which date there will not be any further adjournments in the interest of justice. The petition related to a land tenancy dispute was filed in 2009.