HC Bench at BAMP: Agitation continues

BERHAMPUR: Members of the Ganjam Bar Association took out a cycle rally to enliven the demand for establishment of a permanent bench of the High Court in Berhampur for the benefit of people of south Odisha. It may be noted that the members of the bar association are continuing to boycott the Berhampur court on last four days of every month for this demand. The members of the Cycle Yatra team started for Digaphandi around 25 kilometres away from the city. Throughout the path they met people of city and villages around it to create awareness about the demand for High Court bench and its genuine need. The members said their cycle rally was in protest against the attempt of the State government to sideline the issue by forming a commission to enquire into it. The commission that had been formed to enquire into the matter is yet to furnish its report even after more than one-and-half-year, he alleged. It may be mentioned that, the Berhampur lawyers, along with their counterparts across southern Odisha, had started the agitation in 2007 that came to a sad end after the police resorted to lathi-charge on them on April 22, 2008. The agitation had continued for 139 days. It had also led to lathi charge by police on agitating lawyers on April 22, 2008 and more than 29 lawyers had been arrested. Present Law Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh, who was than an MLA, along with other MLAs of the district had come to the Ganjam Bar Association to show solidarity for the lawyers’ stir. But after becoming the Law Minister, Arukh on January 2, while replying to a question at the Berhampur University, stated that establishment of any HC Bench depends on the Central Government and not the State Government.

Sources: The Hindu, The Pioneer