BJP team visits court, seeks urgent steps to restore normalcy in Odisha

SAMBALPUR:  A delegation of the BJP visited Sambalpur on Tuesday to take stock of the situation in the district court where work continues to remain affected since the incident of vandalism on December 12.
The delegation, comprising three MPs and five MLAs of the BJP, urged the state government to take immediate steps to restore normalcy in the court.    

Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari said the BJP team met leaders of the Sambalpur Bar Association who are currently lodged in jail. Besides, the BJP leaders interacted with judges of Sambalpur court, lawyers of different bar associations, the revenue divisional commissioner (North), IG, district collector, SP and several citizens.

“The aim of our visit was to resolve the stalemate persisting due to the incident and expedite the bail process of lawyers who have been arrested,” he said.

The MP further said as prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC have been imposed, the usual functioning of the court is getting affected. Litigants are facing difficulties due to the impasse. “On the basis of our observation, we will submit a report to the state and central leadership of the BJP. We hope normalcy is restored in the court at the earliest.”

Pujari said leaders of the Sambalpur Bar Association and the central action committee, who can play an important role to diffuse the ongoing crisis, are in jail now. To restore normalcy in the court, the arrested lawyers need to get bail soon. 

“We are in touch with the Bar Council of India (BCI) and the Union Law Minister over the revocation of the order to suspend the licences of lawyers. The state government should also come forward to end the stalemate. We will raise the issue in the Parliament and state Assembly during the budget session,” he said.

Speaking on the establishment of a high court bench at Sambalpur, Pujari said it is a demand of the public and not just of lawyers only. “We are hopeful that the state government will take steps to send a composite proposal to the union government in this regard,” he added.

Apart from Pujari, Kalahandi MP Basanta Panda, his Sambalpur counterpart Nitesh Ganga Deb, Deogarh MLA, Subash Panigrahi, Rengali legislator Nauri Naik, Talsara MLA Bhawani Bhoi, Sundargarh MLA Kusum Tete and Loisingha legislator Mukesh Mahaling were part of the BJP delegation.