With the A.P Reorganisation Bill reaching the corridors of Parliament, advocates boycotted courts here on Monday under the leadership of Seemandhra Advocates’ Joint Action Committee (JAC) and called upon the RTC and electricity employees to strike work with the hope that the Central Government would keep the Bill on backburner under pressure.
The JAC leaders expressed regret that the Bill was sought to be passed in Parliament in spite of its being rejected by both Houses of the State Legislature and said those wanting the State to remain united, were left with no option but to knock at the doors of the Supreme Court.
Tense moments were witnessed as the advocates closed the gates of the City Civil Courts and did not allow the litigant public and judicial staff inside for nearly two hours from 10 a.m.
A couple of judges, including Metropolitan Sessions Judge R. Murali, had to walk into the courts after alighting from their vehicles at the gates in the presence of a sizeable number of policemen. Mr. Murali took objection to the closure of court gates after his car was not allowed to proceed and gently chided the advocates, saying it was not proper to cause inconvenience to people and staff.
Advocates’ JAC leaders M. Jayakar, S. Rajendra Prasad, V. Srinivasa Reddy and others replied that they would wind up their protest in a short time even as the judge walked into the courts.