Berhampur, Sept. 28: Nearly 6,000 advocates of Ganjam and Gajapati districts today condemned the Odisha High Court Bar Association’s stand of opposing separate benches in any other place in the state.

They also criticised finance minister Prasanna Acharya for his statement supporting a permanent bench only in western Odisha.

The office-bearers of 18 bar associations of Ganjam and Gajapati today discussed the issue.

“We are supporting the agitation for establishment of a separate high court bench in Berhampur,” said president of the Ganjam Bar Association Kapileswar Patnaik.

To intensify and decide the future course of agitation, the lawyers formed a steering committee consisting of senior advocate Sachidananda Rath as its chairman and Sisir Padhi as acting chairman.

“A delegation will meet chief minister Naveen Patnaik and appraise him of the need for a separate bench in Berhampur. We will convene an all-party meeting here to mobilise public opinion in support of our demand. A rally of advocates, various organisations, educational institutions and others will be held shortly,” he said.

When the question of establishment of a high court bench in Berhampur is raised, he said, the association is opposing it. “We have no option but to condemn it,” said Padhi.