Extending its support to the Koraput Bar Association over the establishment of a permanent High Court Bench in undivided Koraput, the Congress will observe a five-hour bandh in the district today. The District unit of Congress will observe the bandh from 10 am to 3 pm. The party has also threatened to stage picketing at several places of Koraput and block vehicular movement on National Highway 26.

While justifying the demand, Congress chief whip and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said, “There is a need for an HC bench in the district which fulfills all the criteria laid down by the Jaswant Singh Commission.