Odisha Lawyers' Strike: BCI Suspends Licenses Of 14 More Advocates; Police Arrests 17 Lawyers

Continuing stringent action against the protesting lawyers of Sambalpur, the Bar Council of India (BCI) has suspended the licenses of practice of 14 more advocates on Tuesday. The press release of the BCI stated that the action was taken against them basing upon two First Information Reports (FIRs) dated 12th December, 2022. The BCI, the highest watch-dog of professional ethics of lawyers in the country, also said that a perusal of the FIRs reveals that the advocates were indulged in acts, which are against the standard of professional conducts and ethics. It further noted, "As per the FIR they have been found to be indulging in raising slogans in and around the premises/near the main gate of the Sambalpur District Court against Police, Judicial Officers and District Administration and demanded that District Judge and other Judicial Officers vacate the premises immediately and else they would face the consequences. Though, the police informed them that Section 144, Cr.P.C. has been promulgated, they forcefully entered the Court premises by breaking down the barricades of the police and created nuisance inside the premises. They have violated the Order of Apex Court of India as well as the order of SDM, Sambalpur." Accordingly, the Council proceeded on to suspend the licenses of 10 advocates accused of indulging in the aforesaid acts. Further, it suspended licenses of 4 more advocates basing upon a letter of the Odisha State Bar Council, which accused them of participating in the unfortunate ruckus that took place Monday. Notably, the BCI had suspended the licenses of 29 advocates on Monday, with immediate effect, for 18 months against whom an FIR was lodged last month for allegedly uttering unparliamentary words for Judges, attacking police officials and obstructing Court proceedings while protesting to put forward the demand to establish a permanent Bench of the Orissa high Court at Sambalpur. The list included the name of Mr. Sureswar Mishra, President of the District Bar Association, Sambalpur. It had also suspended all the lawyers of Sambalpur Bar from practising, till the further orders. Further, the police have also taken action against the defiant lawyers and arrested as many as 17 of them on Tuesday. Troops are deployed at the District Court premises of Sambalpur and all over the city, to control any law-and-order situation, if arises again. However, the lawyers have reportedly called off their strike for the time being.

Odisha Lawyers' Strike: BCI Suspends Licenses Of 14 More Advocates; Police Arrests 17 Lawyers

Jyoti Prakash Dutta

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