Odisha yet to submit complete proposal for establishment of HC benches: Rijiju

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has not yet submitted a detailed proposal for establishment of benches of Orissa High Court, including its location, in consultation with the High Court.

This was informed by Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to a question of Koraput MP (Congress) Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka in Lok Sabha on Friday. Rijiju said requests for establishment of High Court benches in places other than the principal seat of high courts have been received from various organisations from time to time, including Odisha government.

Odisha government has requested for setting up of Orissa High Court bench in western and southern region of Odisha, he said.

"The Central government has requested the State government of Odisha to work out details of proposed benches, including its location, in consultation with the High Court of Orissa. However, no response has been received yet," said the Law Minister.

At present, no complete proposal from Odisha government regarding setting up of a bench of the High Court is pending with the Centre, he clarified.

Informing about the criteria for establishment of High Court benches, Rijiju said the benches are established in accordance with the recommendations made by the Jaswant Singh Commission and judgment pronounced by the apex court in W.P.(C) No. 379 of 2000.

The State government, which has to provide necessary expenditure and infrastructure, need to submit a complete proposal in consultation with the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned which is required to look after the day-to-day administration of the High Court.

Further, the complete proposal should also have the consent of the Governor of the State concerned, he added.

Notably, lawyers of different parts of the State, including Sambalpur in western Odisha and Berhampur in south Odisha, have been demanding establishment of High Court bench in their area.