Any chance of establishing Orissa High Court bench at Sambalpur lost with conduct of protesting lawyers: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took a dim view of the unruly agitation carried out by lawyers in Odisha's Samblapur who have been seeking a permanent bench of the Orissa High Court in the district. .A bench comprising Justices SK Kaul and AS Oka said that whatever little hope there may have been of a bench being set up was lost as a consequence of the lawyers' conduct"There is no hope for formation of a bench. Even if there was some possibility, that is lost now with their conduct.".The Court also noted that the police authorities failed to carry out their duty to maintain law and order and asked why lawyers were being molly-coddled. "We have little doubt that this is abject failure of police. They IGP and DGP have assured us that what has happened will not happen again and they take personal responsibility that complete peace is maintained," the bench recorded in its order. .Additionally, office-bearers of all bar associations that were agitating were issued notices of contempt of court by the top court. .The Court was hearing an application concerning the protests by lawyers in the State since September 28..The Court on Wednesday noted that the issue of setting up regional benches of the High Court may have become obsolete to some extent, in light of the measures taken to incorporate technology into the judicial process. "The shifting or creation of High Court benches cannot be done with such whimsical demands. We are putting this in the order to foreclose the issue. We are informed that from any district court one can file a case in High Court and appear virtually," it was noted in this regard. .The Court also strongly condemned the endeavour of the striking lawyers to browbeat the State's Advocate General and members of the National and State Bar Council.It was recorded that some senior officials of the Bar Council of India (BCI) were facing threats. Therefore, concerned police authorities were asked to provide them with adequate security. .The Court, however, did not dispose of the case and clarified that it would continue to monitor the status of investigation and action against erring member of the bar..The order came in light of video clips which showed the violent protests of lawyers, who went to the extent of barging into courtrooms and damaging properties there..The BCI earlier this week suspended the licences of 29 Odisha lawyers for 18 months for using un-parliamentary words to address judges, pushing and pulling the police officials and obstructing the court proceedings.Pertinently, the bar body also passed an interim order suspending licences of practice of all the members of Sambalpur District Bar Association (SDBA) until further orders..The Supreme Court had last month taken a poor view of the protests and court boycotts and noted that access to justice was the foundation of the legal system, and the same was being impeded by boycotting lawyers..[Read our live-coverage of the hearing below]