Uproar in Assembly over setting up of permanent HC bench

Odisha Assembly Tuesday witnessed noisy protests by opposition Congress members over the issue of setting up of a permanent bench of the High Court in the western region of the state.

Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra raised the issue during Zero Hour and blamed the state government for not identifying a place for setting up of the permanent bench of the high court.

He demanded a clarification from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over delay in placing the report of Justice C R Pal Commission in the House.

The commission was set up to identify the place for locating the permanent bench of the High Court.

"Though the commission has submitted its report with the state government, it has not been placed in the Assembly even after six years. The mandate is to place the report in the assembly within six months with action taken report," Mishra said.

This apart, he said the Jaswant Singh Commission had also laid down criteria to identify the place for the permanent bench.

"The state government is not acting upon these reports," he alleged, asking the government to identify the place for the permanent bench of the High Court on the basis of the recommendation of Jaswant Singh Commission recommendations.

Supporting Mishra on the issue, Congress MLAs rushed to the well of the House and demanded a clarification from the chief minister.

Kantabanji MLA Santosh Singh Saluja of Congress also demanded a permanent bench of High Court in Bolangir district.

Congress MLA from Jeypore, Taraprasad Bahinipati claimed Jeypore in Koraput district is the "suitable place for locating the bench of HC".

"The government should take a decision on location of the permanent bench of the High Court," Mishra said adding that agitation in different parts of the state has denied justice to the people.

Unable to run the House, Speaker S N Patro adjourned the House at least three times till 3 pm.

Meanwhile, the members of the Bolangir Bar Association and Joint Action Committee held a rally in front the Assembly demanding a permanent High Court bench in their place.