Lawyers abstain from judicial work, stage sit-in
LUCKNOW : Lawyers of the Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court and all subordinate courts in the state capital abstained from work on Tuesday and staged a sit-in at Gandhi statue, GPO Park, Hazratganj to press for their long pending demands related to pension and medical facilities.
The work boycott was in response to a call given by the Bar Council of India. Lawyers from across the country abstained from work. A large number of lawyers led by president of Oudh Bar Council of Lucknow bench of high court Anand Mani Tripathi and general secretary Balkeshwar Srivastava staged a sit-in at GPO Park. Their demands included provision of pension and a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month for young lawyers.
“Our demands are justified and both the state and central governments must address them without further delay. If they fail to address our demands, we will decide about our future course of action,” said Anand Mani Tripathi, president, OBA.
“The Bar Council of India has demanded Rs 10,000 per month stipend for young lawyers for five years. It has also demanded life insurance cover for lawyers and pension for old lawyers,’ said Anand Dwivedi, former executive member, OBA. “The Bar Council of India has also demanded appointment of judges at all tribunals across the country instead of retired and sitting judges,” said Ashwani Singh, lawyer. In Prayagraj, advocates of the Allahabad high court also abstained from judicial work. Consequently, work in the court was paralysed and litigants, who had come to the court, were forced to return. The judges, arrived in the courtroom on time, but retired to their chambers in the absence of lawyers.HTC