Subadh Kumar Nayak

Cuttack: A public interest litigation case challenging reconstitution of the panel on setting up of permanent bench of Orissa High Court in South and Western Odisha was filed in the court here on Monday.

A bench of the court constituting Chief Justice K S Jhaveri and Justice K R Mohapatra reportedly conducted a hearing on the petition filled by advocate Sibasankar Mohanty.

“Honourable Chief Justice and Justice K R Mahapatra conducted a hearing and considered the writ. Now the opposite parties will present their sides,” said Mohanty.

It is worthwhile to mention here that the Odisha government had constituted a commission under the chairmanship of Justice CR Pal to review all aspects of the issue. After a detail investigation, the panel had submitted its report to the State government in 2014. However, the Commission’s report is yet to be presented in the State Assembly.

The State Government, on the other hand, has already reconstituted the panel earlier this year and appointed the Development Commissioner as its head. Special Secretary, Home in charge of the High Court is its convenor while Secretaries of Home, Finance, Revenue and Law departments are its members.
Sibasankar Mohanty in his petition, meanwhile, mentioned that the State government had sanctioned Rs 1, 52, 48,000 for Justice CR Pal Commission. However, its report has not been presented in the State Assembly.

The advocate also demanded scrapping of the committee claiming that reconstitution of the panel without presenting reports of the previous panel in the State Assembly is unlawful.

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