Cuttack, Sept. 30: The Orissa High Court Bar Association today decided to challenge the letter sent by chief minister Naveen Patnaik to the Centre on the formation of separate benches in western and southern parts of the state.

The association will question the legality of the letter that underscores the need for setting up permanent high court benches in western and southern Odisha. The association will file a petition in the high court and urge the Union law ministry to desist from taking any action on the basis of the chief minister’s letter.

The high court lawyers have also decided to continue with their indefinite strike as a mark of protest against Naveen’s letter. Litigants suffered today as hundreds of cases listed for hearing before several judges could not be taken up as the lawyers skipped court work.

Nandalal Dash, a retired judicial member of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, had over a month ago filed a petition challenging registration of a CBI case against him in connection with a case disposed by him.

His petition was listed twice, but could not be placed for hearing. “Being higher up in the list, the petition would have surely come up for hearing today. But for the lawyers’ strike he will have to wait till his petition is listed again,” his counsel said.

Pratikshya Singh, a panchayat samiti member, and six other residents of Nilgiri in Balasore district were disappointed again.

They had filed a petition seeking intervention against setting up of a stone crusher unit on agricultural land near their village. They argued that the unit would threaten their livelihood. The lawyers could not take up the petition earlier because of the sudden strike from post-lunch session on Thursday.

Association secretary Janmejaya Katikiya said: “The general body today resolved that the cease work will continue. However, a few lawyers will be permitted to attend court to file and move a petition to challenge the letter of recommendation sent by the state government for setting up high court benches in western and southern Odisha.”

“Tomorrow the general body will take a decision on the future course of action. The meeting will be attended by all the bar associations in Cuttack. Efforts are being made to get the support of local peace committees and other organisations to strengthen the agitation,” Katikiya said.

He said: “A representation will be made shortly to the Union law minister not to act on the basis of the letter of proposal given by the state government for permanent benches of Orissa High Court.” The resolution passed by the association termed the letter of proposal as “a tactical separatist move” and labelled it as “petty political game” for narrow gains.