New Delhi; Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentarians from Odisha said the state government is fully responsible for what Sambalpur witnessed on December 12 and the subsequent suspension of 43 layers’ licenses.
“Now with the suspension of licenses of 43 lawyers, how the court will function?” asked MP Suresh Pujari.
“We have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, seeking his intervention to bring back normalcy and stop the arrest of advocates,” said Pujari.
“Had the Chief Minister answered the letter of the Union Law Minister and submitted a detailed proposal after conferring with the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court and the Governor, such a situation wouldn’t have happened. The Supreme Court has pronounced its judgment but the duty of the State government doesn’t end there. It is the State government who is to give healing touch, “said Pujari.
“The delay and lack of commitment of the State Government of Odisha neither in holding consultation with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Odisha High Court and Hon’ble Governor of Odisha nor providing the Composite proposals sought by the Union Law Ministry has led to the present
unpleasant law and order situation leading to the arrest of dozens of lawyers in Sambalpur and suspension of licenses of 43 odd lawyers for one and half year and suspension of the license of all the lawyers of Sambalpur Bar AssOciation till further order. This has further precipitated the volatile situation and total collapse of the Court work of Sambalpur Judgeship due to non-availability of local lawyers who are either in Judicial cUstody or their licenses have been suspended, creating very aifficult situations for the poor litigants of the area. In view of the facts and circumstance as outlined in above, the State Government being squarely responsible for the entire unfortunate incident, we demand that the State Government of Odisha must address the insiant unprecedented situation without any further delay by releasing the arrested lawyers and take up the matter with the Bar Council of India to revoke the suspension of licenses of the lawyers in the interest of the poor litigants as well as restoration of peace, tranquillity and conducive healthy atmosphere in the State of Odisha,” the letter to CM Naveen Patnaik mentioned.
