High Court bench in South Odisha: Ganjam Bar Association members block roads in Berhampur city

Members of the Ganjam Bar Association blocked the roads in front of the Berhampur court on August 30 as part of their continuing agitation for the demand of establishment of a permanent bench of the Odisha High Court in the city. They also handed over a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division.

Through the memorandum, they urged the Chief Minister to immediately request the Central government for establishment of a permanent bench of the Odisha High Court in Berhampur. The lawyers of the Ganjam Bar Association also requested the CM to hold a meeting with the representatives of the bar association over the issue.

During their road blockade and demonstration, the agitating lawyers shouted slogans against the Justice C.R.Pal Commission calling for its withdrawal. This single member judicial commission had been set up by the Odisha government through a notification made in March 2008 to esquire and investigate into the demands for permanent benches of Odisha High Court in South and Western Odisha. It was to furnish its report in six months but till now it has not come up with any interim report also.

The agitating lawyers alleged that in the name of this commission the decision on the demand for establishment of permanent bench of Odisha High Court for south Odisha in Berhampur was being delayed. President of the Ganjam Bar Association Kapileswar Patnaik Sadi said that they were planning to intensify their democratic agitation with support of people, which would also include road blockade and bandh calls.

A senior lawyer of Ganjam Bar Association, P.J.Padhi said hearing by a bench of Odisha High Court in Berhampur had occurred during the British era. According to him on January 4, 1937, then justice of High Court had held circuit court in Berhampur, which hinted that this city was considered suitable for a bench of the High Court for south Odisha even during the British era. Agitating lawyers shout slogans against Justice C.R. Pal Commission. Source: The Hindu