Delhi HC issues notice to BCI, other Bar associations

NEW DELHI: For the first time, as Delhi reeled under the pressure of a drastically reduced police force across the Capital city due to the mass rebellion staged by Delhi Police officials in relation to the events that came after the Tis Hazari clash between lawyers and the men in khaki; the Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Bar Council of India and all other Bar Associations of the city.

The notices were issued with respect to a plea filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, seeking clarification of the Sunday order of the court that prohibited any coercive action against lawyers who have been booked by the Delhi Police in the Tis Hazari incident.

The court here has asked the BCI and other Bar associations to submit their responses to the MHA plea, the hearing for which is scheduled to start from Wednesday.

After the Saturday afternoon clash that ensued in the Tis Hazari Court Complex, a special bench of the Delhi High Court had convened on Sunday and ordered a judicial enquiry into the incident and also asked the Delhi Police to not take any coercive action

lawyers who were named in FIRS registered on basis of complaints by police officials.

The High Court had also directed that Special Commissioner of Police Sanjay Singh and Additional DCP Harinder Singh be transferred to other divisions until both the judicial probe and the internal enquiry against them were completed.

While the Bar Council of India had welcomed the High Court's Sunday order and asked all lawyers to not extend their strike beyond Monday, District court lawyers here have said that their protest will continue till their demands are met.

Some lawyers even expressed their dissatisfaction with the BCI for withdrawing its support to the striking lawyers, with one lawyer saying, “We will continue our strike indefinitely.”