**Cuttack:** Members of the Orissa High Court Bar Association sat on a hunger strike on Tuesday, protesting the vacany of judges in the HC. The strike will continue till the Friday, president of the association Srikanta Nayak said. “We are hopeful that the authorities will lend an ear to our demands,” he said. It has been decided that no petitioners will be allowed to enter into the court room, he added.
The general body of the association met on Monday where the members discussed about issues in listing cases due to scarcity of judges in the High Court. No judge has been appointed since 2015. A judge retired last week and another two judges will retire in June. The number of judges will be reduced to 14 out of approved 27, Secretary of the association, Satyabrata Mohanty said.
