In Odisha, lawyers across the state abstained from appearing in courts today protesting the Legal Practitioners Bill, 2010, and the Higher Education and Research Bill, 2011.Members of the Odisha Bar Council and its associate associations have been observing a complete strike in view of the call given by the Bar Council of India.In capital city Bhubaneswar, members of Bhubaneswar Bar Association blocked the Bhubaneswar-Puri National Highway.AIR correspondent reports, the lawyers allege that the Central government intends to take over the powers of the Bar Council by establishing an ombudsman consisting of judges to hear complaints against lawyers and taking over the authority of the Bar Council over legal education.