The demand for establishment of a Circuit Bench of the Odisha High Court at Brahmapur has once again been renewed with new vigour and zeal.
lawyers of Brahmapur have been struggling for a Circuit Bench of the High Court for the last about 25 years, but in vain. During this long period, several agitations, including Brahmapur Bandhs, Jail Bharo, blocking of National Highway, boycotting court work, picketing and hunger strike, have been staged, but all these efforts have failed to yield any result.
Now, the lawyers’ community and the public seem to be in a state of uncertainty about fulfilment of their demand. Though the people of Ganjam district have made this demand as a core issue of south Odisha, no political leaders, barring a few, seem to have directly been involved with the agitation, which has become a cause of worry for the lawyers.
Earlier, BJP leader and former Assembly Deputy Speaker Rama Chandra Panda had gone on an indefinite hunger strike in 2008 in support of the demand and submitted memorandums to the State Governor and the then Union law Minister on the issue which still remains unheeded. The matter now rests with the State Government.
If the State Government is actually interested and has the political will, it should immediately pass a resolution in the Assembly and send it to the Centre for further action, Panda said. The Pal Commission, set up by the State Government, was mere eyewash only to hoodwink the public, Panda said.
According to president of Ganjam Bar Association Basanta Kumar Panda, the demand for establishment of a HC Bench at Brahmapur is quite old and the Bar Association has been agitating for it since 1990. As the State Government does not have the willpower and interest, the demand has not materialised.
Senior member of the Bar Council Dipak Pattnaik said that so long the demand for establishment of a HC Bench is not met, the agitation would continue more vibrantly. Former secretary of Ganjam Bar Association Nirmal Kumar Sahu said that long back there was a HC Circuit Bench in the district at Gopalpur, but it is not known why the Bench was closed. A HC Bench at Brahmapur would not only benefit people of Ganjam district but also of the entire south Odisha, Sahu pointed out.
Former secretary of Ganjam Bar Pradip Panda was of the opinion that the elected representatives of people are not extending their cooperation to the lawyers to achieve the demand. All the MlAs of the district while participating in a discussion at the Ganjam Bar Association office in 2008 had assured to extend their full support to the agitation, but subsequently they distanced themselves from the issue, forcing the lawyers to go it alone, Panda recalled.
“Since the Chief Minister has recommended to the Centre for establishment of HC Circuit Benches in South Odisha and western Odisha, we are waiting for his next step, Panda said.
Bar Association secretary Rama Prasad Panda said Brahmapur fulfils all the eligibility criterions and requisites prescribed in the Jaswant Singh Report for a HC Circuit Bench. When the distance between Allahabad and lucknow is only 150 km, there is a Bench of the Allahabad High Court in lucknow. So, why an Odisha HC Bench is not established here, he questioned.
After the courts reopen on June 17 after the summer vacation, the Action Committee would meet and decide the future course of action of the lawyers, Panda added.
People of Brahmapur are responsible for non-fulfilment of the genuine demand because they fail to choose appropriate representatives both in Assembly and Parliament, said a senior citizen.