No justification of Orissa HC bench in state: CM Mohan Majhi tells Assembly

Bhubaneswar: Amid a long-standing demand for the establishment of a bench of Orissa High Court in the state's western region, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday told the House that such a facility is not justified according to a Supreme Court verdict.

In response to a written question from BJD member Kalikesh Singh Deo, Majhi said, "As per a Supreme Court verdict, there is no justification for having a bench of Orissa High Court in any part of the state." Singh Deo had inquired whether the Odisha government had any proposal to set up a circuit bench of the high court in Bolangir.

Outside the Assembly, Singh Deo defended his demand for a circuit bench in Bolangir, saying, "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." Singh Deo accused the BJP government of betraying the people of western Odisha, citing the CM's rejection of the demand in the Assembly.

Senior BJP lawmaker from Sambalpur, Jaynarayan Mishra, disagreed with the notion of not having a HC bench in the western region.

He argued, "We (BJP) have not withdrawn the demand for a HC bench in western Odisha.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 a HC bench when Uttar Pradesh has three, and other states also have them?” Congress legislator C S Raazen Ekka from Sundargarh district also highlighted the long-standing demand for a High Court bench in western Odisha, blaming both the BJD and the BJP for failing to establish one.

Ekka said, "The BJD government was in power for 24 years and failed to establish a HC bench in western Odisha. Present CM Majhi, who was in opposition, was also fighting for a HC bench in the state. Despite being a tribal, he has failed to understand the problems faced by the people of his community who are now forced to depend on Cuttack, where the HC is located." Ashok Das, convener of the ‘Kendriya Kriyanusthan Committee’ (Central Coordination Committee), criticised the CM's understanding of the Supreme Court ruling.

"It seems that the CM has not thoroughly reviewed the Supreme Court's ruling. The apex court has never ruled out the justification for a High Court bench in western Odisha," Das said.

The Supreme Court’s December 2022 ruling stated that the demand for a bench of Orissa High Court had become obsolete with advancements in technology. It also noted that Odisha was not large enough to warrant permanent benches outside Cuttack.

The apex court’s verdict came after vandalism in on Sambalpur court premises on November 12, 2022.