No Proposal From Odisha To Set Up HC Benches, Says Union Law Minister

Bhubaneswar: The Central government has reiterated that no proposal has been submitted by the Odisha government regarding setting up a permanent bench of High Court.

In a reply to the question by Odisha MP Suresh Pujari during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Odisha government had demanded benches in western and southern parts of the state. But it has not given any detailed proposal yet, he added.

Stating that the Centre had asked the Odisha government to discuss the matter with the state’s high court and submit a complete proposal, he said, “I had written a letter in this regard in April last year. But we are yet to get any response so far.”

The state has to submit a complete proposal entailing the budget and infrastructure facilities in consultation with the chief justice of the high court. The Centre would act on the basis of the proposal, he added.

In December last year, the Union Minister had replied in similar vein in the House on the matter in response to Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka’s question. The high court benches are set up as per the recommendations of the Jaswant Singh Commission and judgment of the Supreme Court, Rijiju had said.