A three-member Bench of the Odisha High Court on Wednesday asked the Opposite parties to get instructions from the State Government over a PIl seeking to declare all strikes by different bar associations of the State as “illegal” and fixed the next hearing of the case on March 12.
After the matter was referred to a larger Bench by the Chief Justice last month, Justices Pradeep K Mohanty, Indrajit Mohanty and Subash Chandra Parija adjudicated the case along with another writ petition initiated by the High Court Registry.
Advocate SK Padhi in the new PIl has pointed out that the recent strike calls given by different bar associations demanding establishment of permanent High Court Benches are illegal. “Due to bandh calls by bar associations and other organisations, common people are suffering a lot. Students, office-goers, pensioners and even the daily wage earners suffer a lot as Government offices are closed during bandhs,” the petitioner said, adding that even elderly people are deprived of medical facilities.
The petitioner further said that taking advantages of such activities, even the people’s representatives are not worried about the concerns of the common people. Even the Govt is unable to take suitable action against the bandhs, as a result of which the democratic process like elections are also being postponed or put off.
The petitioner has pointed out that Government by not checking the bandhs is violating Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution. “The right to due process, right to life, right to be free from inhumane and degrading treatment and right to health as enshrined in Article 21 and right to be free from discrimination under Articles 14 and 15 are also infringed due to the illegal bandhs,” the petition said.