Lawyers shut down centre, state govt offices in western Odisha

Sambalpur: Intensifying its ongoing agitation demanding establishment of a permanent High Court bench in western Odisha, the Western Odisha Bar Association closed all the Central and State government offices in the region for an indefinite period from today.

The lawyers' body has also decided to hold a 48-hour Mahabandh across the region on November 29 and 30.

The agitation was backed by many other social and cultural outfits of the region. The shut down has extensively hit government work in Sambalpur as well as other districts of western Odisha, reports said.

The members of the association were seen picketing in front of several offices including courts, LIC office, post office, passport seva kendra and BSNL office in Sambalpur town and launched a relay hunger strike pressing for their demands. The law students also took out a bike rally in protest.

"To mount pressure on the centre and state governments as well as the Orissa High Court to fulfill our demands, we have launched a 24-hour relay hunger strike for an indefinite period," said a senior lawyer, Sureswar Mishra.

The lawyers in Sundergarh and Subarnapur also extended their support to the agitation and picketed in front of the government offices in their respective districts, reports added.

Similarly, the Deogarh Lawyer's Association also closed down the courts and government offices in the district.