Cuttack: Orissa High Court Bar Association (OHCBA) on Monday raised concerns over acute shortage of judges in the Orissa high court, saying vacancies are disrupting listing and disposal of cases and denying timely relief to litigants.Addressing a media meet, OHCBA president Lalatendu Samantaray and secretary Hrudananda Mohapatra said the high court is currently functioning with only 17 judges against its sanctioned strength of 33. They added that two sitting judges have also been recommended for transfer to other high courts. “The high court is practically functioning with 50% of its sanctioned strength. It is virtually impossible to run the institution with such reduced judicial strength,” the association said in a joint statement.The bar association said the shortage has become more alarming in view of the nearly 1.7 lakh pending cases. It warned that the widening gap between growing case pendency and shrinking judicial strength has created a serious bottleneck in the delivery of justice.Samantaray and Mohapatra said the shortage is affecting the listing of newly filed and urgent matters before appropriate benches. “The existing judges are overburdened, and fresh as well as urgent matters are failing to get listed before the respective benches for hearing,” they said.According to the association, delays in listing cases have left many litigants without timely legal remedies while also creating difficulties for members of the legal fraternity. “The delay in listing has stalled proceedings, leaving hundreds of litigants waiting for justice,” Samantaray said.OHCBA iterated that speedy justice is a fundamental constitutional guarantee and said prolonged vacancies cannot be allowed to undermine the judicial system. “The continuous depletion of judges without simultaneous replenishment has rendered the situation unsustainable,” Mohapatra said. Citing a resolution adopted at its general body meeting on Aug 14, the association announced that it will submit a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, the Chief Justice of India and members of the Supreme Court collegium, urging expeditious appointments to the HC.The association also said it would raise the issue of Odisha having no representation in the Supreme Court. A delegation led by the OHCBA president and secretary plans to seek meetings with the President and the CJI to press its demands. The Bar further resolved that, if necessary, it may approach Supreme Court through a writ petition seeking directions for appointment of judges to the HC.