Lawyer agitation: HC asks district judges to hold camp courts in jails

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today directed the District & Sessions Judges to hold camp courts in jails to meet the extraordinary situation across the State arising out of prolonged abstinence of work by advocates.

The Orissa High Court in a letter has instructed the District & Sessions Judges to hold camp courts for hearing bail pleas of accused in custody to address over-crowding of various jails across the state due to lawyers' stir.

Due to the ongoing lawyers’ strike, cases have been piling up at different courts in the state. Subsequently, number of prisoners is increasing in different jails across the state due to the delay in hearing of the cases.

According to the orders of the high court, the camp court will be held inside the jail premises.

As per the High Court orders, the concerned jail authorities will ensure that apart from Court staff and Court Sub-Inspector (C.S.I), none other should be present at the time of bail hearing.

The letter further read, relevant documents and records should be put up before the concerned presiding officer by the C.S.I and identification of the accused must be done by the concerned Jail Superitendent/ Assistant Jail Superintendent of the relevant case.

The principles of law applicable to bail are to be kept in mind while dealing with bail applicants, the letter further read.

It is pertinent to mention that the HC lawyers have been observing a cease-work agitation since the last two months demanding arrest of policemen who allegedly attacked one of their colleagues in Cuttack.