Lawyers of Delhi HC, district courts abstain from work to protest against clash with police.

Source – moneycontrol.com

Advocates in the Delhi High Court and all district courts here abstained from judicial work on Monday protesting against the clash between lawyers and police in the Tis Hazari court complex on Saturday.

The lawyers did not participate and appeared in court proceedings and only proxy counsels took next date of hearing in various matters.

Lawyers at the six district courts in the national capital – Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Saket, Dwarka, Rohini and Patiala House — boycotted work throughout the day.

While Coordination Committee of all District Courts Bar Associations said the boycott will continue indefinitely till the alleged guilty police officials are arrested, Bar Council of India appealed to lawyers to resume work on Tuesday.

Mahavir Sharma, chairman of Co-ordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Association in Delhi said in a statement that they would abstain from work in all Delhi district courts “till arrest of police persons who fired at lawyers”.

“In order to ensure success of the movement, all are requested to maintain the movement peacefully,” he said.

Protest marches were held by lawyers all over the national capital. They also marched from the Supreme Court to India Gate to show solidarity with the advocates allegedly injured in the clash.

Around 200 lawyers marched from the Saket court to Saket police station raising slogans and several others marched from the Tis Hazari court to the residence of the Lt Governor Anil Baijal and sat on a dharna outside.

Lawyers protested at Tis Hazari court wearing red ribbons to show solidarity with the alleged attack on advocates and raised slogans against Delhi Police.

On Monday too, there were clashes between lawyers and police personnel at some of the district courts, while some journalists were abused at Tis Hazari court premises.

Some members of Bar Council of Delhi met the protesting lawyers at Tis Hazari court to analyse the situation and appeal to them to end their protest.

Jaiveer Singh Chauhan, secretary of Delhi Bar Association at Tis Hazari court, said though former high court judge, who would hold a judicial inquiry into the matter, was to meet the lawyers today to take note of the situation and alleged property damage done by the police, he could not come as he had not got any official order.

“The boycott will continue till the police officers were arrested,” he said.

BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra requested the lawyers to be cautious and keep away from being part of any unruly mob.

“As per the demand of all the Bar Associations, a Judicial Enquiry has already been ordered by the High Court and the enquiry has to be positively concluded within a period of six weeks. We should not forget that six weeks time is not very long, rather for a judicial enquiry, it is quite short,” he said in a statement.

He further said that different CCTV footage and videos were being highlighted on TV channels and socials media.

“We will simply request the members of the Bar to carefully watch the same because the opponents will try to take undue advantage of it. Some are being manipulated also (as per our information). Therefore, we the lawyers, are to be very cautious and keep away from being part of any unruly mob,” the statement quoted Mishra.

He said some people were circulating on social media some incidents at Tis Hazari Courts, Saket and other Bar complexes and alleged that it was done to malign the image of the Bar.

“We, therefore appeal to the members of the legal fraternity to maintain peace and harmony in the Courts, resume their court work from tomorrow, that is November 5, and not to resort to any action that would tarnish our image and which could ultimately lead to losing the sympathy of the courts and the common people,” he said.

Advocate Naginder Benipal, executive member of the Delhi High Court Bar Association, said lawyers have supported and cooperated with the call to abstain from work in the high court.

“We are abstaining from work in solidarity and in view of the attack on lawyers by policemen. An executive committee meeting will be held during the day in which the future course of action will be decided,” he said.

Advocate Dhir Singh Kasana, general secretary of Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Association in Delhi said complete boycott is being observed at Saket District court and the public is not allowed inside court premises.

“We are not allowing any lawyer to go inside courtrooms. We are sitting at the gate and requesting all to participate,” he said.

Another lawyer Manish Bhadauria said lawyers have gathered at the gate of the Karkardooma district courts and all police officials have been removed from the premises.

Advocate Rakesh Chahar, secretary of Rohini Bar Association, said lawyers at the Rohini District Courts complex abstained from work.

Advocate R K Wadhwa, chairman of the New Delhi Bar Association, said, “Lawyers had matters to argue today but they feel that what has happened was wrong and hence they were not appearing in hearings. Everybody is demanding security and safety for lawyers”.

He further said less number of police officials were present at the Patiala District Courts complex and those present were without weapons.

Advocate K C Mittal, chairman of Bar Council of Delhi said they support all bar associations and will observe the strike.”We will help them out. It is in the larger interest of the society. We will be taking feedback from bar associations and support them,” he said.