Bhubaneswar: A day after informing the Odisha Assembly that there is no justification for a High Court bench in the state, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday said that the issue of setting up the facility in the western region of the state is "under consideration" of the government. Majhi said this in a statement in the Assembly before the commencement of the Zero Hour in the House.
"The issue of setting up a High Court bench in Western Odisha is under consideration of the government," he said. Stating that his government is committed to the delivery of speedy justice to the people, Majhi gave a clear message in the Assembly that his government was not averse to setting up a high court bench in the state.
However, while replying to a written question in the Assembly, Majhi on Monday had informed the House that "as per the Supreme Court verdict, there is no justification in having a bench of high court in any part of the state." Majhi's statement in the Assembly raised an outrage with members from the ruling BJP also protesting the idea. The opposition BJD and the Congress have criticized the state government over Majhi's statement in the House.
Senior BJP lawmaker and veteran leader from the western region, Jaynarayan Mishra has said: "We (BJP) have not withdrawn the demand for a HC bench in western Odisha. The CM has referred to the Supreme Court judgment, but the state's population and HC cases are increasing. Why can't Odisha have an HC bench when Uttar Pradesh has three, and other states also have them?"
BJD MLA from Bolangir Kalikesh Singh Deo who had asked the written question, said: "Today, the CM clarified that the matter is under consideration. He should give an assurance on the floor of the House on whether a circuit bench or a permanent bench of the HC will be set up in Bolangir and also mention the stipulated time frame."
Singh Deo said the Supreme Court observation that the circuit bench demand had become obsolete with the passage of time and with the advent of technology while asking lawyers in Sambalpur to end their agitation after it had turned violent in November 2022. "There was no verdict from the Apex Court on HC bench. Technology is not a replacement for a second bench or circuit bench. Bolangir has first right for a permanent bench since it had a bench in the pre-Independence era," Singh Deo said.
Earlier, Singh Deo had mentioned that prior to Independence, there was a high court bench in Bolangir. According to the accession treaty, it is binding on both the state and central governments to provide the same facility. There would be no issue in having a high court bench if the government was willing, he said.
The lawyers of Western Odisha and members of the Central Coordination Committee for setting up the HC bench in western Odisha, have also resented the chief minister's statement. Responding to the CM's clarification, Central Coordination Committee convenor, Ashok Das said that wrong facts were presented before the Majhi as the SC had made no observation on setting up HC bench.
