Sambalpur, March 25: Lawyers from western Odisha protested at the revenue divisional commissioner’s office here today and demanded the setting up of a high court bench in the region.

Lawyers from 32 bar associations of western Odisha took part in the demonstration.

“We want the state government to send a proposal to the Centre for setting up a high court bench in western Odisha,” said Sureswar Mishra, a core committee member of Central Action Committee. “We also demand immediate abolition of the Pal Commission, which was formed to submit a report on the justification of the demand of a bench in the region,” said Mishra.

“The Pal Commission was set up in 2008 and was supposed to submit its report within three months. Though four years have passed, the commission is yet to submit the report,” said Mishra.