Withdraw strike unconditionally, Supreme Court tells striking lawyers in Odisha
Satya Prakash
New Delhi, December 14
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked striking lawyers in Odisha to unconditionally withdraw their strike for setting up separate Benches of the state high court.
“We reject the resolution of the Central Action Committee (of striking lawyers). They have to withdraw the strike unconditionally. There is no hope for formation of a Bench. Even if there was a remote possibility, it’s lost now with their conduct,” a Bench led by Justice SK Kaul said.
“There is no question of setting up Benches. The passage of time and use of technology has made the demands obsolete. The use of technology is quite widespread now and monitored by the Orissa High Court. No need for additional Bench exists,” it said.
The Bench ordered Delhi Police and Bihar Police to provide protection to BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and his family who allegedly faced threats from striking lawyers.
“Don’t mollycoddle them. This kind of behaviour is not acceptable. We will not let the litigants’ interest to be sacrificed in this manner,” the Bench told the Odisha DGP, who said the situation had been brought under control.
“Treat criminals like criminals,” it told the DGP.
The BCI informed the top court that licences of 43 advocates had already been suspended and further action would be taken against unruly members of the Bar.
“We are not going to be browbeaten… They are before the wrong people,” the Bench told the striking lawyers.
The protesting lawyers are demanding a permanent Bench of the state high court in western Odisha and certain other parts of the state.
Citing the Jaswant Singh committee report, senior advocate Arvind Datar, representing the Odisha High Court, said the criteria for setting up High Court Benches were not met in this case.
Earlier, the top court had asked the BCI to explain as to what extent licences of the lawyers leading the agitation had been suspended.
As striking lawyers in Odisha continued to vandalise courts, the Supreme Court had on Monday asked the Odisha DGP to appear before it through video-conferencing on December 14 to spell out the measures taken to deal with the situation.
“We will put all of them in custody… No solution. If a thousand people need to be arrested let them be arrested. We don’t care. If this is what you do we are not going to hear,” an angry Bench had said.
“If the police are unable to control it, we will send para-military forces. We will ask the Centre for it. You (police) better pull up your socks,” the Bench had told the state police as it asked them to ensure there is no disruption of court proceedings in Odisha due to lawyers’ strike and protest.
