Of the four UlBs in Sundargarh district, the State Election Commission (SEC) has notified for elections in Sundargarh, Rajgangpur and Biramitrapur civic bodies, while Rourkela Municipality has been left out due pendency of its corporation status.
But like earlier, this time too, the Sundargarh Bar Association will stick to the decision of ‘no court no vote’ and boycott polls while all the political parties may refrain themselves from the election process, extending their support to the lawyers’ body. As report revealed the Sundargarh Bar Association had called a meeting of all political parties to appeal them to shun the coming urban body elections as a final decision for setting up a High Court Bench in western Odisha was yet to be taken.
Though the Congress instantly expressed its support to the appeal of the lawyers’ body, BJD leaders said the demand is very genuine and the party is always with the emotion of the western Odisha people. The BJP leaders, expressing their all out support to the lawyers’ body and their demands, said a decision on the issue will be taken after consultation with the State leaders. All other political parties including the CPI(M) and the CPI also agreed to boycott the elections. Very soon the same reaction of political parties is expected in Rajgangpur and Biramotrapur, said sources.
The letter of Union Minister of law Kapil Sibal to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was also discussed at the meeting. “We demand that the State Government send a comprehensive proposal to the Union Government for establishment of a High Court Bench in this region. If the State Government does not take appropriate steps in this regard, we will intensify our agitation,” said Sundargarh Bar association vice president Niraj Samant. He further said, “This is not a congenial time for holding elections as the State is experiencing devastating natural calamities.”
In another development, the Koshal Kranti Dal (KKD) urged all the political parties to boycott the UlB polls in western Odisha, repeating its demand for a separate Koshal State and High Court Bench. The party condemned the stands of the High Court Bar Association and Cuttack Bar Association to oppose the High Court Bench in western Odisha. The KKD revealed that it was going to hold protest rallies against the stand of the High Court Bar Association in different parts of the western Odisha on October 28.