The Central Action Committee (CAC) of all western Odisha bar associations on Thursday decided to stick to its stand of “No court, no vote”. The decision was taken at a meeting of the CAC at Jharsuguda.
“The bar associations will discuss with the civil society and leaders of all political parties and social organisations of their respective localities and execute the decision of ‘No court, no vote,” said CAC member Sureswar Mishra. The letter of Union Minister of law Kapil Sibal to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was also discussed at the meeting. “We demand that the State Government send a comprehensive proposal to the Union Government for establishment of a High Court bench in this region. If the State Government does not take appropriate steps in this regard, we will intensify our agitation,” said Mishra.
A delegation of the CAC would also meet the Chief Justice of the Odisha High Court and the Chief Minister in this regard, Mishra said.
He further said, “This is not a congenial time for holding elections (to the urban local bodies in the region). The State is experiencing devastating natural calamities. We have decided to request the State Election Commission (SEC) to defer the elections.”
It may be noted that the SEC had to postpone the civic polls scheduled in September in western Odisha due to the agitation of lawyers over the demand of establishment of High Court Bench.
Due to the agitation, the State Government had recommended to the Centre for establishment of HV Benches in western and southern Odisha. After this, the lawyers had withdrawn the agitation on October 1.