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Bar Association to Hold Peaceful March Over Judge Shortage on
The Bar Association () has unanimously resolved to hold a peaceful march on , 2026, to protest the acute shortage of judges in the High Court. The decision, taken in a general body meeting on , also calls for all members to abstain from court work on that day.
A Crisis of Numbers
The currently operates with only 15 judges against a of 33—less than half its capacity. This shortage has crippled the court’s ability to handle over 1.72 lakh pending cases. The last appointment to the High Court was made in , and since then, retirements and transfers have steadily eroded the bench strength.
The has been vocal about this crisis. In August, its President, , held a press conference warning of a “stand-still” situation and cautioning that the existing strength could not decide even 50% of the in a year. He had threatened to approach the if the vacancies were not filled.
Although the Collegium recommended four advocates for elevation in , their appointments remain pending clearance by the central government.
The March and
According to the circular issued by , the march will commence at 10:30 AM from Bhubaneswar Club and proceed to Lok Bhawan, the Governor’s residence. The bar intends to submit a to Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati for onward transmission to President Smt. Droupadi Murmu, urging immediate appointments.
The bar has invited other local bar associations in Cuttack to join the protest, emphasizing the collective need for a fully functional High Court.
Key Observations from the Bar’s Resolution
“As per the decision of the General Body Meeting of the High Court Bar Association dated , it is unanimously resolved that the members of the High Court Bar Association will go for peaceful march… to submit a to His Excellency the Hon’ble Governor of Odisha for kind transmission to Her Excellency, the Hon’ble President of India regarding appointment of Judges in the .”
The bar also decided “not to attend the Court on that day,” signaling the seriousness of their protest.
Calls for Urgent Action
had earlier warned, “Any step-motherly attitude should not be shown to us. The has authorized us to meet the CJI, Members of the Collegium and the President… If those steps do not yield results, we have decided to approach the under through a . If that also fails, we will be constrained to sit on a protest.”
With two more judges set to retire in , the strength could fall further to 13. The bar’s march underscores the urgency of judicial appointments to prevent the High Court from becoming non-functional.
Implications
The will disrupt court proceedings, but the bar hopes it will galvanize both the state and central governments to act. If the does not bring results, the may escalate its agitation, potentially approaching the or resorting to longer protests. The march is a stark reminder of the critical state of the and the need for a robust, independent judiciary.
