Common people of Sambalpur and other parts of western Odisha are happy that Government offices will resume functioning from Tuesday after almost one and a half months.
The stalemate has come to an end after the recommendation of the State Government to the Centre for establishing High Court Benches in western and southern Odisha.
The Central Action Committee (CAC) of lawyers of western Odisha has postponed its prolonged agitation following the State Government’s move.
CAC senior member Sureswar Mishra, however, said, “We will end our agitation only after a full-fledged High Court Bench is established here.” The month-end agitation including economic blockade would continue as usual, he informed. Central Action Committee (CAC) members on Monday gathered here to protest the stand taken by the Cuttack-based Odisha High Court Bar Association against setting up of High Court Benches in regions.
They warned the Cuttack lawyers to refrain from such a stand since it hurts the sentiments of people of the western and southern regions and goes against the unity of the State.
“The HC Bar Association needs to rise above narrowness and feel the very pulse of the people of the entire State instead of their vested interest,” said Pradeep Bahidar, a senior advocate here. The CAC further decided that its leaders would go to New Delhi to take up the HC Bench issue with the Central Government, particularly the Union law Ministry.
Earlier, the then Union law Minister Veerappa Moily, during his visit to Sambalpur, had assured that the Central Government would actively consider the High Court Bench issue in western Odisha after a recommendation from the State Government.
Now, with a similar recommendation from the State Government, the ball is now in the court of the Central Government, said Central Action Committee (CAC) members.