Massive Clashes Erupt Between Police & Lawyers In Odisha's Sambalpur Over Demand Of High Court Bench

Hundreds of lawyers supported by civilians started a protest this morning, also to oppose the allegedly arbitrary actions of the Bar Council of India and the Odisha State Bar Council. Effigies of Judges were reportedly burnt as a sign of discord.

Supreme Court has directed the State Police to take stringent actions against lawyers who indulged in vandalism in court premises.

On Friday, while answering a question raised by Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Lok Sabha MP from Odisha's Koraput, the Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju had clarified that presently there is no 'complete proposal' from the Government of Odisha to establish a new Bench of the Orissa High Court pending with the Central Government.

Pertinent to note that lawyers from across the State of Odisha and particularly from Western Odisha have been protesting since long with a demand to establish regional Benches of the Orissa High Court.

Last month, the Supreme Court had asked the protesting lawyers to get back to work otherwise to face contempt of Court action or suspension of licenses. On the last week of last month, the Apex Court had issued a slew of directions including a direction to the Bar Council of India to suspend the licenses of protesting lawyers and to act against the office bearers of Bar Associations.

However, the lawyers are united in putting forward their issue and have threatened to surrender their licenses en masse if Bar Council suspends anyone's license.