Odisha govt invites lawyers for talks on HC bench

With the lawyers strike in eight western Odisha districts entering the third day, the Odisha government today invited the agitators for talks over their demand for a permanent High Court bench in the region.
"Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will hold discussion with the representatives of Central Action Committee (CAC) of lawyers on August 24 at the Secretariat. We hope the discussion will bring normalcy in western Odisha," Law Minister Maheswar Mohanty told the state assembly.
Mohanty said the state government has invited the agitating lawyers after the State Election Commission (SEC) gave green signal in this regard. The government had sought permission from the SEC as model code of conduct is in force for the September 19 urban bodies polls.

"We have allowed the state government to hold discussion with the agitating lawyers on condition that the exercise would not violate the provisions of the model code of conduct," State Election Commissioner Ajit Tripathy told reporters here.
While appealing the agitating lawyers to call off the strike, the Chief Minister had yesterday said though the state government was interested for talks on the issue, it could not proceed due to the model code of conduct.
The Central Action Committee of the All Western Odisha Bar Association has meanwhile welcomed the state government's invitation for a discussion.

"However, the CAC will take a final decision on the matter of holding talks with the state government," CAC secretary Niranjan Tripathy said.

Meanwhile, the Bar Association at Balasore today resolved to go for a cease work agitation making similar demand of a permanent bench of Orissa High Court in their region.
The next course of action would be taken after consultation with the associations of other districts namely Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Keonjhar of northern Odisha.
Orissa High Court Bar Association in Cuttack also resolved to go for a token cease work agitation tomorrow protesting establishment of a permanent bench in western Odisha.