Courts hit by nationwide lawyers' strike

Lawyers across the country went on a daylong strike, demanding the withdrawal of amendments in the CrPC because of which it is no longer mandatory for the police to arrest someone charged with an offence punishable with up to seven years in jail.

Lawyers across the country on Tuesday went on a daylong strike, demanding the withdrawal of amendments in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) because of which it is no longer mandatory for the police to arrest someone charged with an offence punishable with up to seven years in jail.

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"We have called a nationwide strike against anti-public and anti-society amendments (in the CrPC). As many as 18 district court bar associations and 14 bar associations of various high courts are participating in the strike," said Rajiv Khosla, a spokesperson for the striking lawyers' coordination committee.

"The proposed amendment would remove fear from the mind of criminals, who will misuse the provisions under the garb of personal liberty," Khosla added.

The decision to go on strike was taken at a meeting of the coordination committee of bar associations of Delhi and various lawyers' associations of the National Capital Region (NCR) last week. The lawyers will hold a similar strike Feb 18.

As part of their protest, the lawyers will hold a car and bike rally that will start at 3 p.m. from the Tis Hazari courts complex and will terminate at the Patiala House courts.

Advocates in Delhi and neighbouring areas of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Noida, Moradabad, Hisar, Bulandshahr and Alwar have observed a strike on three occasions so far.

The lawyers' association has sent a memorandum to the president and the home minister, seeking withdrawal of the proposed amendments.