Orissa High Court lawyers cease work over shortage of Judges

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court Bar Association on Monday resorted to cease-work agitation till February 19 protesting the serious shortage of judges in the High Court.

Currently, the high court is functioning with 16 judges including the Chief Justice, against a sanctioned strength of 27 judges.

Shortage of judges leads to delay in disposal of cases and piling up of pendency, said the lawyers.

Though Justice BK Nayak of the Orissa High Court retired from service on February 1, no new appointment has been made in his place so far triggering resentment among the lawyers.

Sources said as many as 1.69 lakh cases are pending before the Orissa High Court.

In November last year, the lawyers too abstained from court work as a mark of protest against the transfer of judges from here elsewhere without the vacancies being filled up on time.