No petition argued in HC, lawyers' ceasework enters 4th day

No petition was argued in the Calcutta High Court as a five-day ceasework called by the lawyers' association demanding appointment of judges at the high court entered its fourth day today.
The High Court Bar Association will meet on Monday to discuss the next course of action to fulfill its demand for filling up of vacancies in the judiciary of the oldest high court in the country.
One of the three chartered high courts set up in the country, it is facing a severe shortage of judges, thus delaying dispensation of justice, Bar Association president Uttam Majumdar said.
The high court at present has only 30 sitting judges out of a sanctioned strength of 72. Out of the 30, two judges are permanently on rotation at the Andaman and Nicobar Circuit bench of the high court.

"The association will meet on Monday in an emergency general body meeting to discuss the issue and future course of action for fulfilling its demand," Majumdar said.
The corridors and court rooms wore an almost deserted look in the absence of the men and women in black gowns, even as some litigants turned up hoping for resumption of court hearings.

Judges sat in their court rooms in the morning and petitions were called for hearing as usual.
But with no lawyer appearing to argue the cases, the judges rose from their court rooms later and retired to their respective chambers.

More than 2.22 lakh cases were pending before the high court as on December 31, 2017.