The advocates here and of the entire western Odisha observed Protest Day on Tuesday over the delay by the State Government in establishing a High Court (HC) bench.
They sent a memorandum to the Governor through the District Collector of Sambalpur requesting him to direct the State Government to submit a complete and comprehensive proposal to the Centre for establishment of the bench by end of December.
In the memorandum, the advocates mentioned the problems of distance and expenses of the people of the entire western Odisha region to avail the service of the HC at Cuttack. After formation of the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) in 1999, the region comprising 10 revenue districts and Athmalick sub division of Angul has got a statutory reorganization as ‘western Odisha’. The region is also backward both socially and economically with high concentration of SC and ST population. Poverty also rules the roost in the region since long, they cited. “Against such a backdrop, a high court bench to get instant justice is necessary for the people here,” said Sambalpur district bar association president Krishna Chandra Baboo.
“We feel neglected on the issue. Even a section of people of the region, protesting against the negligence by successive Governments in power, has gone to the extent of demanding a separate State if HC bench is not granted. Hence, it is high time, the Government established the bench without further delay,” Baboo opined.
He further argued that only 10-15 per cent of the people here are able to approach the HC. The reason is their acute poverty and distance of the HC. But this is just reverse in the case of coastal Odisha. In civil and criminal cases, people from western region are not able to take their cases to the HC due to its long distance, he said.
The lawyers also requested in their memorandum to the Governor to give necessary direction to State Government to expedite the move.