The striking lawyers of Orissa High Court today decided to continue their ongoing ceasework till February 23 to protest the alleged ''inadequate'' number of judges in the court, High Court Bar Association sources said.
The Bar Association at a general body meeting here also decided to launch a hunger strike from tomorrow, not to file any fresh case and restrain their clients from conducting their own cases.
The Orissa High Court at present has 16 judges, including the chief justice, against a sanctioned strength of 27.
There has been no appointment of judges in the high court since May 2015 and over 1.72 lakh cases, including PILs, were pending here till December 2017, the Bar Association sources said.
The lawyers have been boycotting courts from February 12 to protest the non-filling of vacancies in the post of judges in the high court and the problems in listing important matters for hearing.
''As we understand that no concrete step has yet been taken to address our grievances, we have decided to continue our cease-work stir till February 23. We have also decided to toughen our stand by resorting to hunger strike from February 20 and shall not file any fresh case,'' the Bar Association secretary Satyabrata Mohanty said.
The petitioners will also be restrained from entering into court rooms to conduct their own cases, he said.
Mohanty said that lawyers of Cuttack city will also be urged to extend their support to the cause of the High Court Bar Association.
''All Bar Associations located in Cuttack city will be requested for passing appropriate resolutions in this regard,'' Mohanty said.
There are at least 14 other courts and tribunals, including permanent benches of Central Administrative Tribunal and State Administrative Tribunal in Cuttack city.
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