At least 15 members of the 25-member Bar Council of Odisha today moved a no confidence motion against Council chairman Manas Ranjan Mohapatra and its representative to Bar Council of India (BCI) Devi Prasad Dhal.
In a notice to Mohapatra, a copy of which was also sent to the State Advocate General (AG), the disgruntled members have pointed out that the Council has lost confidence on its chairman and the BCI representative.
Asking both Mohapatra and Dhal to resign from their posts forthwith and pave way for elections to find their replacements, the members urged both Mohapatra and Dhal to treat the notice as no confidence motion against them.
Alleging that the chairman and the BCI representative, who were elected unopposed two years ago, have made the Council totally defunct and have done nothing to meet the interest of the Council and the advocates of the state in general.
"In spite of our repeated requests, you are not rectifying yourself and rather acting in a detrimental manner contrary to the interests of the Council and the legal fraternity, thereby creating misunderstanding among the members," the notice signed by the members said.
It may be mentioned here that the Rules Committee of the Council in April this year had incorporated an amendment to its Rules of 1989, introducing a clause of 'Vote of No Confidence' against the chairman, vice chairman and the member representative to BCI.
A proposal to this effect was approved by the same members who have issued the notice now, which was sent to the Bar Council of India for endorsement.
