Cuttack, Aug. 22: The Orissa High Court Bar Association has decided to cease work tomorrow to pile pressure on those agitating for a bench in western Odisha.

The bar association has called the cease work to protest against the “throttling of the democratic process of election to the urban local bodies” because of the ongoing agitation in western Odisha for a separate high court bench in the region.

The decision of the bar association may be a setback to the agitation of western Odisha lawyers who continued picketing before government offices for the third consecutive day today.

“The decision was taken at a meeting of our general body today following requisitions by several members,” high court bar association secretary Janmejaya Katikiya told The Telegraph.

“The general body arrived at a consensus that the issue should be kept open for discussion taking members of all western Odisha bar associations with regard to law relating to establishment of permanent bench as is being presently demanded,” the resolution passed by Odisha High Court Bar Association said.

The central action committee of the western Odisha bar associations had yesterday resolved to intensify their agitation for a separate high court bench after turning down chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s appeal to allow normal functioning of government offices.

Expressing his inability to hold any dialogue at present in view of the model code of conduct in force for the civic polls, Naveen assured them of talks in October. But lawyers of various districts of the region still continued to paralyse functioning of government offices and stalled filing of nomination papers for the urban polls.

The high court bar association resolution described it as an “undemocratic move”.

“While opposing the undemocratic move, it was resolved to observe a cease work tomorrow as a token protest,” said Katikiya. The high court bar association resolution also expressed concern over the strength of judges in the high court and sought filling of the existing vacancies.

“This being a problem of the state, the various bar associations of the entire state are required to rise on this issue,” the resolution said. The high court has 15 judges against a sanctioned strength of 22.

In another development, the state government today renewed its invitation to the agitating lawyers with the permission of the state election commission. Sources said tomorrow was the tentative date for the meeting.

“We had sought the state election commission’s permission. The commission has granted its nod,” said law minister Maheswar Mohanty. The action committee of the lawyers are yet to receive the invitation.

On the other hand, the echo of the agitation was heard in Balasore district with its bar association raising the demand for a permanent high court bench at a suitable place in northern Odisha. On support of the demand, the lawyers also resorted to an indefinite ceasework which paralysed court work in the district today. North Odisha comprises Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Jajpur districts.

The Balasore Bar Association said till a permanent bench was set up, a circuit court should function in these north Odisha districts at least once a week.

“We don’t insist on the permanent bench being set up in Balasore only. It can be set up anywhere in north Odisha,” said Raghunath Pradhan, the secretary of the Balasore Bar Association. He, however, said that Balasore appeared to be the most suitable place in north Odisha for a court bench for its road and rail connectivity.

About 5,312 appeals in civil cases from northern districts are pending before the high court against 1,723 cases pending from western Odisha. Besides, litigants from far off areas such as Mayurbhanj have to travel more than 400km to reach the high court in Cuttack.