Normal life came to a grinding halt in Balangir district on Monday due to a 24-hour bandh called by the local lawyers’ association and the Milita Kriyanusthan Committee demanding a permanent High Court Bench in the district.
Leaders of different political parties, including Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Narasingha Mishra, supported the bandh and took active part in the strike.
The shops and commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed since morning due to the shutdown. Road traffic also came to a halt as vehicles stopped plying.
A ‘rail roko’ agitation by the lawyers at the Balangir railway station halted train movements in the district. In view of the protest, the railway authorities cancelled, partially cancelled and diverted several trains.
The passengers, who were unaware of the bandh scheduled for the day, were found in the platforms in the station waiting for the trains.
Earlier, the Balangir Lawyers’ Association had announced the 24-hour bandh on December 3 in the district without joining the 48-hour ‘Maha Bandh’ on November 29 and 30 by the Sambalpur Bar Association and the CAC over setting up of a permanent Bench of the Orissa High Court in western Odisha.
Later, an all-party meeting was held before the Collectorirate being attended by members of BJD, BJP, Congress and other political parties and organisations and intellectuals like Prof Madhusudan Pati and Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra.
Adovcate Bhavani Satpathy pointed out that the Patna High Court was established in 1942. In 1945, a common High Court of 38 princely states was established at Balangir. After merger of the princely states, the Patna High Court was merged with the Orissa High Court. In view of the historical background, a Bench of the Orissa High Court should be set up at Balangir.