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3 High Court Judges take oath

CUTTACK: Justice Bijay Kumar Naik, Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash were sworn in Additional Judges of the Orissa High Court here on Wednesday. Acting Chief Justice Justice I M Quddusi administered the oath and secrecy to the new judges at a brief ceremony held in the conference hall of the High Court.

All the judges of the High Court, judicial officers, State Advocate-General and members of the Bar were present at the swearing-in ceremony. State Law Minister Bikram Arukh, Chief Secretary T K Mishra, police DG Manmohan Praharaj and Home Secretary A P Padhy were also present on the occasion.

With the elevation of these new judges to the bench, the strength of the judges in the HC went up to 18. Still four more posts of HC judge are vacant in the State.

The HC currently has nearly two lakh cases pending for disposal.

Resentment, however, is brewing among members of the Bar since the State Government is not taking timely measures to fill the judge posts. The HC Bar Association has threatened to launch an agitation in protest against the alleged indifferent attitude of the government.

“Time and again we have submitted memorandums to the State government to fill the vacancies in time so as to dispose of the pending cases,” said Bar Association president T C Mohanty.

While the National Law Commission in 2004 had suggested having at least 28 judges in Orissa High Court for timely disposal of pending cases, the Union Government had sanctioned 27 judges in the High Court.

“But the State government under the plea of insufficient infrastructure has sanctioned only 22 posts of judge and the never has that strength been achieved,” Mr. Mohanty said.

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