Cuttack: Lawyers of the Orissa High Court on Monday boycotted Court of Chief Justice and two other judges to protest against the decision of the Collegium in recommending names of certain lawyers who are not regular practitioners of the High Court Bar Association for appointment as Judges.
In the General Body meeting that was held at 1:30 PM, it was decided that the lawyers will continue to boycott the courts of Chief Justice of Orissa, Justice Sk Mishra and Justice Kumari Sanju Panda (who make up the Collegium) till June 26, when the next meeting is held.
In the meantime, a delegation of High Court Bar Association will meet the Chief Justice of India, Prime Minister and Union Minister of Law and Justice and other authorities.
Orissa High Court has the Judges strength of 27 but at present only 14 judges are there due to which around 1.7 lakhs of cases have been pending. So far as appointment of High Court Judges are concerned, the Constitution of India mandates that, a person shall not be qualified for appointment as a judge of a High Court unless he/she has been an Advocate of a High Court for at least ten years.
“However, names of certain lawyers have been recommended by Collegium of the High Court for appointment as Judges who have no regular practice in the High Court of Orissa and one such lawyer has only filed four cases in the said court over the last five years,” fumed a lawyer.
“In such process, not only the qualified and competent lawyers of High Court Bar Association have been ignored but also the future prospect of lawyers practicing in Orissa High Court will be at jeopardy,” said another lawyer.
