Lawyers, police agree to form panel to prevent future clashes

Lawyer bodies and the Delhi Police have agreed to set up a joint coordination committee and appoint nodal officers to address grievances and prevent disputes between the two from escalating

Lawyer bodies and the Delhi Police have agreed to set up a joint coordination committee and appoint nodal officers to address grievances and prevent disputes between the two from escalating. This comes days after a confrontation between lawyers and police personnel in Shahdara led to a strike across Delhi’s district courts.

Lawyers, police agree to form panel to prevent future clashes

The decision was taken at a meeting on October 30 attended by senior Delhi Police officers, along with representatives of the Bar Council of Delhi, the Coordination Committee of All District Bar Associations and executive committee members of various district court bar associations.

Rajiv Ranjan, Delhi Police spokesperson told HT on Sunday, “Under the proposed mechanism, a joint committee comprising representatives of the police and lawyers will be constituted to facilitate dialogue and resolve issues between the two sides. Dedicated nodal officers will also be appointed at the district level and at police headquarters to ensure that grievances are addressed promptly.”

It was also agreed that the concerned Bar Association would, as far as practicable, be informed whenever an FIR is registered against a practising advocate. Bar associations will provide updated directories of their office-bearers and members to the respective district DCPs.

Both sides also agreed to maintain professional courtesy and mutual respect. Police personnel will extend due courtesy to advocates at police stations, while lawyers will similarly respect police officials within court premises, the Delhi Police said in a statement on Sunday.

The committee will serve as an institutional platform to address grievances through dialogue and consultation, with the aim of preventing avoidable misunderstandings and building mutual trust between the two institutions.

The move follows a confrontation on October 23, when lawyers accused an ACP and a Shahdara SHO of threatening them and assaulting an advocate. The incident triggered an indefinite strike by lawyers across Delhi’s district courts, with the bar associations demanding action against the officers.

The strike was called off on October 28 after the two officers were transferred. The ACP was moved to the Special Police Unit for Women and Children, while the SHO was transferred to the Delhi Police Security unit.

The October 30 meeting sought to institutionalise a mechanism to address such disputes through consultation, rather than allowing them to escalate into confrontations or disrupt court proceedings.