Lawyers suspend strike, form panel to hold talks with police and govt

Lawyers across Delhi’s district courts had been abstaining from work since November 1, when clashes had broken out between lawyers and Delhi Police over a parking incident.

Lawyers in the national capital on Friday suspended their indefinite strike that started after clashes had broken out at the Tis Hazari court complex over the issue of parking on November 1(Saturday). For the last five days, lawyers across the city’s district courts have abstained from work.

A general view of Tis Hazari Court , New Delhi, November 8, 2019. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

“A joint meeting of Bar Council of India (BCI), Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) and the coordination committee of the District Court Bar Associations of Delhi, was held on Friday at the BCI office where it was resolved to constitute a committee comprising of members of district court bar associations of Delhi, members of BCD and BCI to discuss the issue with the representatives of the police, the L-G and the Union home ministry as per the orders of the Delhi High Court,” Manan Kumar Mishra, chairman, BCI, said in a statement.

“It was further resolved to suspend the ongoing agitation/abstinence/strike for time being till the above referred discussion is held on this issue…,” the statement from BCI added.

Delhi police also said that they have constituted a team of 10 senior officers, comprising two special commissioners, two joint commissioners, and six deputy commissioners to represent the police. An officer said, the team has already started informal talks with the lawyers.

While BCI said that the strike is suspended till the above discussion is held, Dhir Singh Kasana, secretary of the coordination committee of all district courts, said that the strike has been suspended for 10 days and if the assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) who had fired at the lawyers are not arrested, they would resume the strike.

“The strike has been suspended for the time being and within 10 days if the ASIs are not arrested, then the issue would taken on an all India basis and a pan-country agitation would be launched,” Kasana said.

The meeting at the BCI office, which went for over three hours, was conducted after the Supreme Court in the afternoon nudged the lawyers and came down heavily on the issue of uncalled for srikes/abstinence of lawyers from court works.

The court directed Mishra to take all necessary steps to curb the strikes of lawyers and abstention from court works. Mishra ensured that all necessary steps would be taken to abide by the orders of the Delhi High Court passed on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the lawyers continued their strike for the fifth day and abstained from appearing in the court rooms for the hearing. Litigants were allowed to enter in the court premises and peaceful agitation was carried out in all the six district courts affecting the work.