Balasore: Advocates abstained from work from Saturday, demanding a permanent Orissa High Court bench in the district headquarters town.

Balasore Bar Association members will continue with the cease work till Tuesday.

Filling of vacant judicial posts, setting up of a state administrative tribunal and central administrative tribunal and office of revenue divisional commissioner in Balasore were the other demands of the advocates.

"The demand for a high court bench in Balasore for north Odisha has been raised since about 10 years. Considering the number of backlog cases in regions, including Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak and Keonjhar, and the distance from Cuttack from remote places, there should be a bench in Balasore. The demand was made before the commission of inquiry Justice C.R. Pal for establishment of the high court bench," said the association president Niranjan Panda.

"The sanctioned strength for the post of magistrate is nine, but at present, there are only three magistrates. Considering the huge number of cases backlog, we have been demanding recruitment against the vacant posts. But, no steps have been taken in this regard," he said.

"There have been demands for the high court benches in west and south Odisha. But, the pendency volume in north Odisha region is quite high. The demand for a bench here is genuine," said association secretary Sambit Nandy.