The BJP on Friday opposed the State Cabinet’s decision to abolish the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).
Party State president KV Singh Deo and senior party leader Biswabhushan Harichandan told a Press conference here that the Cabinet has taken an unfortunate decision. The decision has not only upset the lawyer’s community but also the State Government employees, they said.
“It seems the Government has lost its faith on judiciary. Some high-level officials have admitted that a few functionaries of the State are not happy with certain judicial decisions of the SAT,” said Harichandan, adding, “Therefore, they hatched a conspiracy to abolish the tribunal. It is nothing but an attack on the independence of judiciary.”
Quoting the Cabinet’s decision, the BJP leaders said the Government has proposed to transfer the cases under the tribunal to the Odisha High Court. But the Government should know that the High Court is already overburdened with a huge number of cases.
Harichandan said the Government data said at least 12,86,902 cases are pending before the High Court and subordinate courts. “Pending of total cases before tribunals, revenue and authorities in the State will be more than 17 lakh,” he further pointed out.
He said about 55,000 litigations are pending before the SAT. On the basis of the workload, the SAT needs at least 10 Members, including Chairman. “However, only four Members are there against the sanctioned strength of eight, including Chairman. Even the Government has failed to fill up the sanctioned strength,” he said. “Without strengthening the bench, why the Government is so much interested in abolishing it,” he questioned.