Cal HC lawyers' ceasework enter third day

A five-day strike by lawyers demanding filling up of the huge vacancy in the Calcutta High Court judiciary continued for the third day today.
The ceasework by the Bar Association had begun on Monday demanding that vacancies of 42 posts of judges in the Calcutta High Court, which has a sanctioned strength of 72 judges, be filled immediately.
Judges sat in the almost empty court rooms in the morning as everyday and rose to retire to their chambers after the customary calling of petitions for hearing by the officers as no lawyers were present.
A few litigants who had come to the court hoping for a hearing despite the strike were seen.

They expressed worry that in addition to the lack of requisite number of judges, the five-day ceasework would increase the pendancy of petitions and thus cause more delay in the hearing of their cases.
There are more than 2.22 lakh cases pending before the high court as on December 31, 2017.
Out of the present strength of 30 sitting judges, two judges on rotation are permanently at the Andaman and Nicobar Circuit Bench of the high court bringing down the effective strength of Calcutta HC to only 28 judges.