Ghaziabad: Lawyers’ body forms 51-member committee to lead agitation

Lawyers in Ghaziabad have been on strike since October 29 after a disagreement during a bail hearing allegedly escalated to violence, arson, and sparked off a police lathicharge inside a courtroom

Ghaziabad: Lawyers of the Ghaziabad bar association during a general body meeting have decided to continue their ongoing agitation and formed a 51-member committee to take charge of the course of agitation over police action in a court last month. On Friday, a human chain was also formed as part of the protest.

It was also decided in a general meeting on Thursday that any member not cooperating may be acted upon in form of penalty of ₹5,000 or cancellation of chamber or even suspension of membership for five years. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Office bearers of the bar association said that action may also be initiated against any member for violating the decisions.

Lawyers in Ghaziabad have been on strike since October 29 after a disagreement during a bail hearing allegedly escalated to violence, arson, and sparked off a police lathicharge inside a courtroom. Ever since, the lawyers have been demanding action against police and transfer of a judicial officer.

“Our demand for action against police officers and transfer of judicial officer will continue in the form of strike… We have also decided in a general meeting on Thursday that any member not cooperating may be acted upon in form of penalty of ₹5,000 or cancellation of chamber or even suspension of membership for five years,” Deepak Sharma, president, Ghaziabad bar association, said on Friday.

On November 11 and 12, the lawyers had staged a “roadblock protest” and jammed the busy Hapur Road for two hours each day. But it was suspended a day later (November 13) in wake of commuters’ inconvenience.

Post-October 29 incident, police registered two first information reports (FIRs) against the protestors and two others over the roadblock protest.

Last week, the office bearers of the bar association also met senior judicial officers in Allahabad. “The outcome could not be achieved during the meeting. Thereafter, a call was given to return to work from Monday (November 25). But the lawyers called for a general body meeting on Thursday,” Sharma said.

Senior advocate Nahar Singh Yadav said that the general body meeting was called by protesting lawyers and it overturned the decision of returning to work. “A 51-member committee is now taking charge of course of agitation and a human-chain was formed as part of the protest on Friday. The agitation will continue till our demands are met,” he said.

Police said that they have made regular deployment at the court complex since the October 29 incident. “The deployment is taken up on a regular basis and we are ensuring law and order. The strike by lawyers is continuing,” said Abhishek Srivastava, assistant commissioner of police, Kavi Nagar circle.