Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, notwithstanding the pressure from the Odisha High Court Bar Association, recommended the Union Government for establishment of permanent benches of the Odisha High Court in western and southern region of the State. The move is aimed at reaping electoral advantage in the ensuing polls.
Interestingly, the Chief Minister wrote to Union law Minister Kapil Sibal recommending for High Court benches in the two regions, hours after he met the delegation of the Odisha High Court Bar Association, which demanded against the bifurcation of the High Court. Making recommendation of permanent benches of the High Court would have no legal standings, the HC Bar had categorically said.
However, the Chief Minister who in his typical manner had assured the delegation that the Government would take steps “as per law”, could appease the advocates by promising them to take steps to raise the High Court judge strength from 22 to 27 along with extending cooperation for strengthening the infrastructure.
Chief Minister’s recommendation to the Center was only confirmed by Finance Minister Prasanna Acharya on Sunday. Sources said that a copy of the recommendation letter was passed on to the agitating leaders of the Central Action Committee (CAC) of lawyer of western Odisha at Sambalpur by Finance Minister Acharya.
Acharya said that the Chief Minister had recommended the Union law Minister Kapil Sibal justifying the establishment of the High Court benches in western and southern Odisha. The justifications are in tune with the Justice Jaswant Singh Committee recommendations, he said, adding that the Chief Minister had assured the Union Government to provide required infrastructure and related support for the proposed benches.
Anyway, the strategic move of the Chief Minister was more to ensure a formidable footage in the western Odisha political wicket, where the ruling BJD was relatively weak, rather than to end the ongoing month-long agitation. While Patnaik appeased the High Court Bar Association members by assuring to strengthen the judicial infrastructure in the High Court, on the other hand, the recommendation for two benches will give him political gains along with pacifying the agitating lawyers in western and southern Odisha.
But in reality, Chief Minister while recommending the Union Government for two separate benches of High Court again played another politics not promising about the locations. This has created confusion among the agitating bar association members.
Along with the CAC, the Kalahandi Bar Assocition, Undivided Koraput schedule district Bar Association, Ganjam and Rourkela Bar Association have been on agitation for establishment of permanent bench in their respective regions.