Bolangir: The Bolangir lawyers’ association and Central Action Committee (CAC) today observed 24-hour bandh in Bolangir demanding establishment of a permanent bench of the Orissa High Court in the district. Various political and social organisations of the district have extended support to the bandh.
Normal life came to a grinding halt in the region due to the bandh since this morning. Shops, educational institutions, government and non-government offices, business establishments and markets remained closed due to the shutdown. However, emergency services have been exempted from the purview of the 24-hour bandh.
The agitating lawyers also staged ‘rail roko’ at Bolangir railway station and halted a goods train. Many passenger trains that were scheduled to pass through the Bolangir railway station have been either been cancelled, partially cancelled or diverted in view of the bandh.
“Bolangir fulfills all the criteria needed for the establishment of the high court bench,” said an agitator.
“I work in Sambalpur and was going to office. But had to return as there were no trains or buses,” said a resident of Bolangir town.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and senior leader Narasingha Mishra has extended his support to the bandh.
“Eight platoons of police including 40 officers have been deployed in and across the town to ensure a peaceful bandh,” informed Bolangir SDPO Khir Sagar Nayak.
Lawyers in Patnagarh also observed bandh and staged picketing in several key locations of the town. Vehicular movement, schools, colleges and business establishments remained closed throwing normal life out of gear in the town. Similarly, bandh was also observed in Kantabanji.
Earlier, the Sambalpur Bar Association along with other organisations had observed a 48-hour Maha Bandh on November 29 and 30 for the establishment of a permanent HC bench in western Odisha. However, the Bolangir lawyers’ body did not participate in the two-day long Maha Bandh and decided to launch a separate agitation.