PRAYAGRAJ Amid lawyers’ protests over the alleged conduct of Justice Ajay Bhanot, a division bench of the Allahabad high court took exception to a group of lawyers allegedly blocking the courtroom’s entry doors and preventing court staff from entering through the main gate.
The court observed that judicial proceedings cannot remain paralysed on account of lawyers deliberately abstaining from their duties.
The November 4 order was passed by the bench headed by Justice Bhanot. Earlier on October 29, the high court had ordered criminal contempt proceedings against a group of lawyers involved in ruckus inside a courtroom (no. 49) on October 27.
A division bench comprising Justice Ajay Bhanot and Justice Divesh Chandra Samant recorded that a large number of lawyers gathered outside the courtroom and created noise that impeded court proceedings.
The court noted that lawyers prevented court staff from entering the courtroom through the main gate. In view of the situation, the court asked the staff to enter the courtroom through the door meant for the judges.
“The court proceedings cannot stand paralyzed on account of lawyers who are deliberately absenting themselves from duty,” the court observed.
{{/usCountry}}“The court proceedings cannot stand paralyzed on account of lawyers who are deliberately absenting themselves from duty,” the court observed.
{{/usCountry}}The bench was hearing a criminal writ petition filed by Salman Akhtar, a resident of Farrukhabad, challenging an FIR registered against the applicant over allegations of sexual relations on a false promise of marriage, criminal intimidation, rioting, etc. The matter was taken up in the revised call.
The court noted that no one appeared on behalf of the petitioners to press the writ petition, although their counsel’s names were shown in the cause list. The additional government advocates (AGAs) were also not present.
Taking note of the AGAs’ absence, the court directed the government advocate to submit a report explaining the cause for their absence in court. The development follows a protest by advocates over an incident on October 27 in court no. 49 where Justice Ajay Bhanot was presiding over the division bench.
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA) wrote to the Chief Justice on October 28, threatening to boycott Justice Bhanot’s court while alleging that he had humiliated an advocate during court proceedings.
The letter warned that if no appropriate action is taken, the HCBA would boycott Justice Bhanot’s court. Against this backdrop, advocates staged a protest on October 28. Some lawyers allegedly also broke furniture inside Justice Bhanot’s courtroom.
Subsequently, a bench of Justice Bhanot and Justice Samant passed an order on November 2 finding that the acts of lawyers assaulting state law officers, court staff and security personnel and vandalizing a courtroom were prima facie criminal contempt. The court also requested the Chief Justice to consider issuing directions for registering FIRs against the lawyers allegedly involved and persons who circulated false social media posts about the incident.