Crack developed in western Orissa lawyers agitation

Rourkela, Mar 7 (UNI) A crack seemed to have developed among the Bar Associations of Western Orissa over the mode of agitation for the setting up of a permanent bench of Orissa High Court in Western Orissa.

Both Rourkela and Rajgangpur Bar Associations strongly opposed the Western Orissa Lawyers Central Action Committee resolutions to observe April 1 as a black day and not to vote for the advocates contesting the March 15 election to the state Bar Council.

The Central Action Committee at its meeting at Soneput on March 2 decided to observe April 1 as a black day, not to vote for advocates of Cuttack contesting the state Bar council election and gave a call for 12-hour ''Western Orissa'' bandh on March 9 and ceasework from March 24 to April 1.

The committee also demanded withdrawal of the C R Pal Commission and appealed to the President and Chief Justice of India to tranfer Orissa High Court judges, who were elevated to the post from the bar.

Rourkela Bar Association, at a meeting held under its president Satya Mohapatra today, decided not to participate in the March 9 bandh call, given by the committee.

The RBA demanded the committee to withdraw resolutions to observe black day on April 1 and not to vote for Cuttack advocates unconditionally before March 15.

It said the RBA would decide the mode of agitation only after the committee withdrew these resolutions.

Rajgangpur Bar Association president Pradip Patnaik supported the RBA demand.

The RBA refused to participate in the March 9 bandh, the call for which was given by the committee.

Meanwhile, the lawyers of Mayurbhanja district decided to abstain from attending courts for a week beginning March 10, demanding permanent bench of Orissa High Court at Baripada.

They demanded the withdrawal of the C R Pal Commission, set up by the government to look into the demands of various bar associations for setting up of circuit benches in their respective areas.

UNI BD SJC GL DB2117