CUTTACK: Lawyers of the Orissa High Court and lower courts in Cuttack on Thursday stayed away from proceedings, citing inconvenience and safety concerns arising out of the Odisha bandh call given by the INDIA bloc.
The High Court had on Wednesday resolved to request the Chief Justice and other judges to accommodate lawyers who could not physically attend court and refrain from passing adverse orders against parties in matters listed for hearing on the day.
The resolution was adopted at a meeting of the Bar Association’s executive committee and released by its president Lalatendu Samantaray and secretary Hrudananda Mohapatra.
The Bar body said the bandh was likely to disrupt vehicular movement as well as road and rail connectivity to various places, making it difficult for lawyers to reach the HC physically.
“Due to Odisha bandh call given by the Congress party on October 8 the movement of vehicles will be disturbed and affected during that period, the road and rail connectivity to various places will also be affected” the resolution said.
It also pointed out that while some lawyers might be able to attend proceedings virtually, “many lawyers may not have facilities of virtual mode”.
The association cited concerns over transportation besides safety of lawyers and possible damage to their property during the bandh. As per the resolution, the association requested the Chief Justice and other judges to “accommodate the members of the Bar” in their absence on the day.
It further requested the judges not to pass any adverse order against any party merely because their lawyer was unable to appear in court. Member lawyers of Cuttack Bar Association and Cuttack Criminal Courts Bar Association also stayed away from court proceedings, after passing resolutions citing similar concerns over the bandh.
