Sambalpur (Odisha): At least eight more lawyers including the president of the District Bar Association, Sureshwar Mishra have been arrested on Thursday for their alleged involvement in vandalism on the premises of the district court during a protest demanding the establishment of a permanent bench of the Orissa High Court. Earlier, 16 lawyers were arrested in this case.
Slamming the lawyers, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Central Action Committee of the Bar Associations to withdraw the strike immediately. A bench comprising Justice SK Kaul and Justice Abhay S Oka made it clear that there is no need to establish a permanent bench of the Orissa High Court. The court also observed in its order that with the evolvement of technology, the demand of setting up benches has become obsolete.
Also read: Possibility of establishing Orissa HC bench at Sambalpur lost with lawyers conduct: SC
The court also rapped Odisha Police DG and Sambalpur IGP over their failure in handling the lawyers' strike in the state saying ''We will deploy Central forces if the Odisha Police is unable to control the situation'' it added.
