Members of the Orissa High Court Bar Association on Wednesday decided that the association for the time being would not be an intervener in the matter which is currently being adjudicated by the Supreme Court pertaining to the functioning of the Orissa High Court against the backdrop of the ongoing cessation of work by the lawyers.

After Tuesday’s order by the Supreme Court suggesting possible deployment of paramilitary forces to ensure return of normalcy in the High Court, the Action-Taken Committee of the lawyers met here on Wednesday and expressed concern over the “misleading” facts presented to the Supreme Court by the High Court’s counsel Siba Sankar Mishra.

The High Court Bar Association also suspended Mishra from its membership for presenting “misinformation” on the lawyers’ stir.

“The ‘cause of action’ as presented to the Supreme Court by Mishra on Tuesday was far from true; and we are hopeful that the High Court’s counsel will rectify himself and present a correct picture before the Supreme Court when the matter is next heard on Thursday,” said High Court Bar Association president Gopal Krushna Mohanty.

Basing on the contents made by the High Court counsel that the functioning of the High Court has been completely paralysed due to the strike by the lawyers and the State police have failed to restore normalcy, a Division Bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday had indicated for a possible deployment of Central forces to make the HC functional.

On the other hand, a section of lawyers here are lobbying hard to file a contempt petition against advocate Siba Sankar Mishra for misleading the Supreme Court. “The High Court hearing on the suo motu contempt case over the lawyers’ frequent strikes has been adjourned to next month on valid judicial grounds and not for any obstructions as was reported,” said an advocate.