Balangir, June 1: Lawyers of Balangir, who had been opposing the election to civic bodies, have decided not to oppose the poll scheduled on July 1.

In an urgently convened meeting of the District Bar Association of Balangir, the lawyers unanimously resolved not to oppose the Balangir municipal council election. The lawyers had opposed the election to the civic body on the last two occasions in September 2013 and January 2014 demanding establishment of high court bench in Balangir. Supporting the demand of the lawyers, the people of Balangir had boycotted the election on both occasions. This is the third time that the state election commission has announced a date to hold election for Balangir Municipality.

Ever since the date was announced, people had been curious to know what move the district bar association would make.

On the earlier occasions, the bar association had not only won support of the people, but various organisations including Balangir Citizens’ Committee and Balangir Action Committee, extended their support to the demand of the high court bench.

All political parties including the BJD, BJP and Congress had supported the demand and not a single nomination was filed in either of the occasions. The meeting, which was convened last evening, resolved that the lawyers would not oppose and demand boycott of the poll.

Secretary of Balangir Bar Association Saroj Gupta said the lawyers had resolved not to oppose the civic poll this time.

“The bar has decided not to oppose the election to Balangir Municipality. The agitation for the high court bench will continue. There will be election of the bar association shortly and new office bearers will take charge. They will decide the next court of action for the agitation,” Gupta said.

People from all over west Odisha have been demanding the setting up of high court benches. While the Sambalpur-based Central Action Committee of the lawyers is demanding that the bench be set up anywhere in the region, the Balangir bar association wants to it to be set up in Balangir. People of Sambalpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Sonepur had boycotted the first phase of election in September. In the second phase, when a new date was announced, all the urban bodies of west Odisha except Balangir and Titilagarh took part.