Mrunal Manmay Dash

Cuttack: The High Court Bar Association has launched a cease work strike protesting the appointment of judges in Orissa High court after a resolution was passed by the Supreme Court collegium. The strike will continue till tomorrow.

The Supreme Court collegium has recommended names of advocate Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi and judicial officer Bibhu Prasad Routray to be appointed as Orissa High Court Judges.

As per reports, the bar association has condemned the collegium system alleging that it amounts to less transparency in the selection process of the judges. The protesting lawyers have rather endorsed the formation of National Judicial Appointments Commission, which they claim, would bring more transparency in the appointments and transfer process of the High Court and Supreme Court judges.

The High Court Bar Association has passed a resolution to take up this matter with the President Of India, Prime Minister and the Union Law Minister.

Notably, the collegium system is a process through which decisions related to appointments and transfer of judges in apex court and high court is taken by a collegium which consists of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), four senior most judges of apex court and three members of concerned high court (in the matter related to high court), which according to the bar association is a less transparent process.

Gopal Krushna Mohanty, President, High Court Bar Association said, “We don’t have any more faith in the collegium system. This has become a mockery in the judicial system of India. Our demand is to abolish this collegium system and introduce the NJC for the appointment and transfer of the judges.”

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