left with eggs all over their faces after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik swiftly ignored their suggestion on High Court Benches, the HC lawyers have resolved not to digest such humiliation further. Upping their ante against Patnaik’s regional appeasement policy with HC Bench carrot, the High Court Bar Association here on Monday vowed to fight it tooth and nail, both legally and administratively.
The bar association, at a general body meeting, decided to petition Union law Minister Kapil Sibal urging him not to give credence to Patnaik’s letter of recommendation for setting up HC Benches elsewhere. The association also resolved to move a writ petition in the High Court challenging the CM’s move on the ground that the same has been made ignoring the legalities and technicalities governing it.
The association also resolving to continue its ongoing boycott of court activities has decided to rope in other bars of the State, including all the 14 bars functioning from Cuttack city itself. In a move to garner public support for their cause, the bar association for the first time has decided to solicit the support of strong and organised Puja Committees and Shanti (peace) Committees of the city.
“We will take the further course of action after a general body meeting of the bar on Tuesday afternoon, where the executive members of all other bars of the city would be present,” said HC Bar Association secretary Janmejaya Katakia, adding that till that period the lawyers of HC would continue to abstain from court activities.
Condemning the CM’s letter to the Union law Minister, the association resolution said the move is highly illegal and inappropriate as the High Court in several previous judgments has turned down them. More so, no place in the State is fit to house any permanent bench of the HC as per the Yasobant Singh Committee report, the association resolution said.
The members of the HC bar further question as to how the Government has gone ahead in recommending to establish benches of the HC in western and southern Odisha, when a Judicial Commission, set up by the Government itself is yet to make its recommendation. “The Commission is holding hearing on the issue on day-to-day basis in view of the Government’s request to expedite it. But the Government has completely ignored the commission making it “irrelevant,” the lawyers pointed out.
The lawyers also viewed it seriously that the Government’s recommendation has apparently come without even consulting the Chief Justice and other judges of the High Court for its own political gimmick.