Cease-work against judges' shortage launched by lawyers: Orissa High Court Bar Association

On February 12, lawyers of Orissa High Court Bar Association launched a week long cease-work agitation to protest against the shortage of Judges in the High Court.

The lawyers boycotted court proceedings to make their demand loud and clear and have decided to do the same till February 19, 2018. “We have resorted to cease-work as nobody is paying heed to our demands. Since 2015, there has been no appointment of Judges in Orissa High Court while other high courts are getting Judges,” said Secretary of High Court Bar Association, Satyabrata Mohanty.

Lawyers alleged that Orissa High Court has a sanctioned strength of 27 judges but presently there are only 16 judges. “By July, the strength of Judges in high court will come down to 14 as two Judges will retire by then. If authorities fail to fill the vacant posts of Judges in time then people of the state will have to bear the brunt,” said Mohanty.

Lawyers alleged that due to shortage of Judges, the backlog of cases in the high court is increasing. Even people are deprived of getting timely justice.

The bar association said in the past they have sent memorandum to the Chief Justice of India, state government and the union law ministry praying to them to fill up the vacant lying posts of Judges in Orissa High Court at the earliest. But the efforts have not yielded any result.

We will convene an emergency meeting on February 16 to decide our further course of action,” said Mohanty.

The bar association said there is an urgent need to make appointment of Judges in Orissa High Court as the shortage of judges is only adding to the pendency of cases. Bar association said over 42,000 cases are pending in Orissa High Court.

(Credits: Times of India)