After observing a five-day cease-work agitation last week that ended on Saturday, the Mayurbhanj District Bar Association on Monday held a 12-hour Mayurbhanj Bandh demanding a permanent High Court Bench at Baripada. All the political parties of the district also extended their support and joined the bandh.
Vehicular movement was disrupted for the whole day while business establishments, educational institutions, Government offices, railway activities and courts remained closed.
An action committee has also been formed with the presidents, secretaries of bar associations, members of political outfits and local voluntary organisations of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Baleswar districts to decide the future course of action.
The north Odisha towns including Baleswar, Bhadrak and Baripada have been witnessing agitations after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to the Union law Minister proposing establishment of High Court Benches in the State’s southern and western regions.
The Mayurbhanj lawyers argued that since the proposed HC Benches should be more than 350 km from the High Court in Cuttack, Baripada meets the criteria and has the required infrastructures for a Bench.