LAWYERS CALL OFF STRIKE
Meanwhile, High Court grants interim protection from arrest to two cops
NEW DELHI: Lawyers in Delhi called off their strike on Friday almost two weeks after clashes with police at the Tis Hazari court here. The advocates will resume work on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim protection from arrest to two police officials– Kanta Prasad and Pawan Kumar – until the judicial inquiry is over. The two were suspended after the incident of Tis Hazari violence.
Lawyers in all the six district courts in the national capital had completely boycotted work to protest against the clash at Tis Hazari court on November 2, with proxy counsels appearing in courts to take dates in matters and assist the
litigants.
The Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations took the decision in a meeting of the officebearers after the Delhi High Court order directed the lawyers to resolve the matter. "We respect the order of the High Court so the abstinence from work is suspended, work to be resumed from Saturday. Our fight for Advocates Protection Act will continue," said committee chairman Mahavir Sharma.
Delhi Police personnel and
lawyers were involved in an altercation on the premises of Tis Hazari Court on November 2 after a clash over a parking dispute turned violent. At least 20 security personnel and several advocates were injured in the fracas, and many vehicles were set on fire.
The lawyers' strike was called off a day after the Delhi Police resumed duty at the Tis Hazari court premises after a gap of about two weeks. Due to this strike, important cases
have been deferred on account of non-appearance of counsels, including the judgement in the case of alleged sexual and physical assault of several girls at a shelter home in
Bihar's Muzaffarpur.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim protection to two police officials who were booked in connection with the clash between lawyers and the police in Tis Hazari court early this month.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar sought responses of the Centre, Delhi police, Bar Council of India (BCI) and various other bar associations on the plea of the two assistant sub-inspectors (ASI) seeking protection till a judicial inquiry into the incident was over.
The court said "no coercive action" should be taken against Kanta Prasad and Pawan Kumar, who were suspended after the the incident, till the next date of hearing on December 23.