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Lawyers suspend work at Punjab and Haryana HC, Chandigarh district courts
Judicial work at the high court was suspended after the call for strike from Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association to express solidarity with a lawyer, who the body claimed was “implicated” in a drugs case
Judicial work at the high court was suspended on Monday after the call for strike from Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association (PHHCBA) to express solidarity with a lawyer, who the Bar body claimed was “implicated” in a drugs case on Friday night.
The Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana (BCPH) also sent out a draft legislation to district Bar bodies, seeking their suggestions.
“There has been a recent spike in assaults, kidnappings, intimidation harassment and constant threats against advocates and their families. The security of advocates is jeopardised as a result of their work and it is deeply felt that respective governments must provide sufficient protection as a safety measure,” the letter written by BCPH chairman, Suvir Sidhu says.
The lawyers at district courts, meanwhile, also suspended the work on Monday. The District Bar Association of Chandigarh had announced that no advocates would appear for hearings at the Sector 43 complex on Monday.
Association president Sunil Toni said, “A general house meeting of the body was called and the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sector 11 police station Jasbir Singh and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP, Central) Gurmukh Singh were also present. We put forward our views regarding how the advocate has been framed and they have agreed to investigate the matter fairly and take our grievances into account as well.”
Toni added that work will remain suspended on Tuesday till 12 noon and a meeting is scheduled to take place with the UT senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal.
Police had on Friday night recovered 1.5 kg of ganja from the vehicle of lawyer Ashok Sehgal of Sector 15. However, both Sehgal and other lawyers have since alleged that the drugs were planted by someone over an enmity.
