Normalcy yet to be restored as lawyers stay away from court

SAMBALPUR: Four days after the Bar Council of India (BCI) revoked the suspension of majority of lawyers of Sambalpur bar association (SBA), there is no sign of normalcy returning to the district court. 
Despite the relief from BCI, lawyers are not attending the court, causing great inconvenience to litigants.

On December 16, the BCI revoked suspension of lawyers who were not part of the mob which vandalised the district court. The council, however, excluded 54 lawyers who were found to be involved in the incident and asked them to furnish their explanations before the BCI secretary on or before February 15 next year as to why the order passed against them be not made absolute.

After the BCI’s move, it was being expected that normalcy will be restored with the usual functioning of the district court. However, the lawyers have still not turned up for court work. Meanwhile, to ensure that litigants and the general public do not face any inconvenience, a help desk has been set up at the main entrance of the district court. Services of paralegal volunteers have been made available inside the court premises as well as the district legal services authority, Sambalpur circle jail and Nari Bandi Niketan for litigants and under-trial prisoners. 

Besides, advocates of different bar associations are appearing in the court in some cases. Hearing of bail applications are also being conducted through video-conferencing.  On the other hand, five more lawyers have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the vandalism incident on December 12. With this, the total number of arrests has gone up to 37 which include 28 lawyers. 

Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar said 21 platoons of police force are still deployed near the court premises to maintain law and order. Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC is also in force at Kacheri Chowk.

Sources said the advocates from Kuchinda who had applied for bail petition of the arrested lawyers, have now moved to the district court after their plea was rejected at the SDJM court on December 16. The hearing of the case is scheduled on December 22.