Lawyers demand permanent bench : paralyse govt offices

Sambalpur, Dec 12 (UNI) Work in all government offices here were paralysed as scores of advocates and common people resorted to picketing in support of a permanent bench of Orissa High court in Western Orissa.

The advocates boycotted the courts and decided to abstain from attending the same for the next one week to press for the demand.

The lawyers are up in arms after Orissa High Court Chief Justice Ashok Kumar Ganguly rejected the request of Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik to consider the demand for setting up of permanent benches of High court in Western and Southern Orissa.

The Central Action committee of Lawyers of Western Orissa yesterday met the Chief Minister and reiterated their demand to have a permanent bench of Orissa High court in Western Orissa.

UNI