CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Thursday set Friday evening as deadline for Odisha State Bar Council (OSBC) to resolve the dispute over debarring of Om Kumar Baliarsingh - a member of Bhubaneswar Bar Association (BBA) from participating in the ensuing election process on the ground of non-submission of enrolment date.
Baliarsingh was not allowed to participate in the election for the post of executive body member of BBA for 2024-25. He filed a petition seeking the court’s direction for allowing him as he had a valid identity card.
The single judge bench of Justice SK Panigrahi disposed of the petition on Thursday saying, “Since the germinating point of the present controversy arises out of non-mentioning of the date of enrolment of the petitioner in the identity card issued by the BBA, this court directs the chairman of OSBC, Cuttack to immediately constitute a committee for considering the above issue relating to the present petitioner and take a lawful decision in the matter.”
The Judge added, “The said exercise be concluded by Friday evening (March 22, 2024). Further, keeping in view the non-mentioning of the date of enrolment of the petitioner also directs chairman, OSBC to instruct all Bar Associations of the state to indicate the date of enrolment of all advocates in their respective identity cards.”