New Delhi/Sambalpur, Nov 29: Lawyers of Western Odisha yesterday staged protest dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding a permanent High Court bench. All members of the Central Action Committee (CAC) bar associations of all Western Odisha districts began their agitation at 11 AM. Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, senior BJP leader Suresh Pujari and BJD Rajya Sabha members Prasanna Acharya and AU Singhdeo took part in the demonstration and lent their support to the demand for a permanent High Court bench in Western Odisha. Justifying the demand of the lawyers, another lawyer said when courts are set up in different areas of the district, while can’t a bench of the High Court be set up in Western Odisha? Senior lawyer and BJP National Secretary Suresh Pujari said the Western Odisha lawyers have resorted to agitation for a long time for a permanent High Court bench. The lawyers ended their token agitation at 5 PM.
Supporting the CAC agitation in New Delhi, the CAC members staged a sit-in dharna at Nelson Mandela Square in Sambalpur obstructed the road leading to the District Court. There was no work in the court as the judges could not attend the court due to obstruction.Talking to media persons, CAC Chairman Pradip Bohidar said the agitation by the lawyers in the district has now turned into a mass agitation.
