Odisha seeks HC advice on permanent bench

On Sept 28 this year, Patnaik had written to Sibal requesting him to consider a proposal for creation of permanent benches of HC in southern and western parts of the state

The state government has requested the Chief Justice of Odisha High Court to give his opinion on establishment of permanent benches of the court in western and southern parts of the state.

"We have sought the advice of the Chief Justice regarding High Court benches. The next step will be taken after we receive his suggestion," said Maheswar Mohanty, minister in charge for law, tourism & culture and planning & coordination departments.

Last month, Union law minister Kapil Sibal, in response to a proposal sent by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, had pointed out that the consent of the Chief Justice of Odisha HC was necessary for establishment of the permanent benches.

He had also asked the state government to specify the exact location where these benches will be set up.

On September 28 this year, Patnaik had written to Sibal requesting him to consider a proposal for creation of permanent benches of HC in southern and western parts of the state. In a separate development, the western Odisha lawyers' forum today met the Chief Justice to convey their demand for establishment of a bench in their region.

"We have met the Chief Justice and apprised him about the importance of having a HC bench in western Odisha, because his opinion in this matter is important," said Ashok Das, convenor Central Action Committee, a lawyers' forum that steered the campaign and protests across the western region.

Demand for a permanent HC bench in remote western part of the state intensified late August this year as lawyers picketed government offices and paralysed normal life with relay fasting and strikes, forcing the state government to clear its stand on the issue. As the protests received widespread support, lawyers of southern and northern Odisha also started demanding a HC bench in their respective areas, putting the state government in a fix in a poll bound year.

Finally, the state government decided to set aside the Pal Commission report which had rejected the proposal of setting up a HC bench in western Odisha and wrote to the Union government to consider a proposal for opening HC benches in western and southern parts of the state without mentioning particular location or district where it should be established.