The Bar Council of India (BCI) suspended the "Sanad" (Certificate of Practice) of 29 Odisha lawyers for 18 months on December 12 for using unparliamentary language to address judges, pushing and pulling police officers, and obstructing court proceedings. The 29 lawyers who have been suspended for 18 months are Sureswar Mishra, Shib Diwan, Pramod Saraf, Satyanaryan Purohit, Srikant Panigrahi, Himansu Panigrahi, Mahendra Badhei, Anup Taria, Silu Mahapatra, Satyanaryan Panda, Prabin Singhdeo, Rabi Pujhari, Suraj Biswal, Chandrakanta Mohanty, Nabin Satpathy, Saroj Sahu, Manoranjan Dash, Manas Mishra, Sameer Mahapatra, Bandita Mishra, Rajib Satpathy, Basanta Mishra, Minketan Bhoi, Ratan Agarwal, Bijetendra Pradhan, Suranjini Barik, Pradeep Bohidar, Babull Panda and Manoranjan Panda. In addition, the bar body issued an interim order suspending all members of the Sambalpur District Bar Association (SDBA) from practicing until further orders are issued.

The BCI order came after video clips were brought to its attention showing lawyers' 'violent' protests, which included barging into courtrooms and damaging property.

"The video clearly discloses that almost all the lawyers practicing there (Males and Females) are badly indulged in shouting slogans, burning effigies of judges and office bearers of Bar Council of India and State Bar Council, entering in the courtroom and damaging the computer sets and other properties inside and outside the courtrooms.  The members of Sambalpur District Bar Association are also seen manhandling the police officers and personnel fighting and abusing them,” a statement issued by the BCI on Monday said. "The video clearly shows that the Members of SDBA have neither any respect for the BCI nor for the serious concern expressed by the Apex Court. The video is not only exceedingly disturbing but, it is a matter of utter shame to the face of the institution and the BCI cannot tolerate such hooliganism and will never allow such advocates to continue in the noble profession," the BCI underlined.