CUTTACK: Litigants suffered as ceasework agitation by lawyers of the Orissa high court entered the second day on Tuesday. The high court bar association has launched a week-long agitation from Monday to protest against shortage of judges in the high court."As the lawyers boycotted court proceedings, the high court was completely paralysed. My brother's bail petition was supposed to be heard today by the high court and I had come all the way from Berhampur for it. But due to the cease work the plea was not heard," said S K Bhuyan, a litigant.The bar association has decided to continue its agitation till February 19 and litigants are worried as with each passing day their miseries will only increase.However, lawyers have claimed that they have resorted to ceasework as no one is paying heed to their demands. "The high court is functioning with just 16 judges against the sanctioned strength of 27. Since 2015, there has been no appointment of judges in Orissa high court. It is high time the vacant posts of judges are filled up," said secretary of high court bar association Satyabrata Mohanty. Lawyers alleged that due to shortage of judges, the backlog of cases in the high court is increasing. Even people are deprived of getting timely justice. Sources said at least 42,000 cases are pending in the high court.

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