Lawyers of the Orissa High Court here on Friday, the last working day before summer vacation, attended the courts wearing black badges in protest against the attempts being made by the Collegium to recommend names of law practitioners from elsewhere to be elevated as judges of the HC.
A resolution was unanimously passed by the general body of the High Court Bar Association on Thursday. “We have also resolved to boycott the courts after the summer vacation from June 17,” said Association secretary Sanjay Kumar Das.
The Association has also decided to approach the President, the Prime Minister and the Union Law Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Governor for their intervention in order to stall this “unprecedented approach”.
The earlier practice had been that only the names of regular practising advocates of the High Court were recommended by the HC Collegium to the Supreme Court Collegium for consideration. “We have indications to suggest that the present Collegium may recommend names of some Odia law practitioners of the SC Bar to be considered for appointment as judges of the Orissa HC,” Mr. Das claimed.