Agitation of Orissa High Court lawyers intensifies

Cuttack: The agitation by Orissa High Court lawyers demanding recruitment of judges in vacant posts intensified after members of the Orissa High Court Bar Association launched a relay hunger strike today.

As a result of the strike, the court was not able to receive any new cases and processing of old case files was also affected.

The agitating lawyers also did not allow petitioners to enter the court premises who wanted to fight their cases without an attorney.

A general body meeting of the Bar Association will be held on Thursday to chalk out the future strategy of the agitation, informed the association's president Srikanta Kumar Nayak.

The lawyers had begun their stir last Thursday alleging that the number of judges in the High Court is quite low compared to the sanctioned strength and many posts are lying vacant.

As per reports, the sanctioned strength of judges for the High Court is 27 but only 18 posts have been filled and after the transfer of another judge the strength has come down to 17.

Without filling the vacant posts, judges are being transferred, the protestors alleged.