Following a call given by the Odisha High Court Bar Association, lawyers of all the bars in Cuttack would boycott their courts on Wednesday. The decision was taken after considering an application made by the Cuttack Bench of State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) bar, informed HC bar body chief Ashok Mohapatra.
"In view of the State Government's decision to abolish the SAT and following a request made by the SAT bar, we have decided to abstain from court activities for a day on Wednesday and, accordingly, this decision has been communicated to all other court bars of the city," Mohapatra said.
The State Cabinet last Wednesday took the decision on the ground that the tribunal set up in 1986 has not been able to achieve its desired goal. With its principal bench at Bhubaneswar, the tribunal was functioning from its permanent and regular bench here at Cuttack and circuit benches at Sambalpur and Brahmapur.
The Government's contention is that following a Supreme Court decision of 1997, the SAT had lost its significance. The apex sourt had refused to entertain any petition challenging the decision of the SAT, if the petitioner had not appealed against the tribunal's decision at their High Courts.
lawyers in Bhubaneswar too protested the move of the Government and took to the street demanding immediate withdrawal of the SAT abolition decision. The agitating members of the Bhubaneswar SAT Bar Association and Bhubaneswar Bar Association blocked NH-203 near Kalpana Square by squatting on road and burning tyres. They also boycotted courts.
later, a delegation of lawyers met Governor Dr SC Jamir at the Raj Bhavan.
"The Governor read our memorandum and gave a patient hearing on our grievance. litigants, people and lawyers' community at large will suffer if the SAT is abolished," said senior lawyer Sibananda Ray, who was in the delegation to meet the Governor.