Lawyers in all the six district courts in Delhi called off their strike on Friday, which had been going on since November 4 after a clash between advocates and policemen at the Tis Hazari Courts. The lawyers will resume their work from Saturday.
The Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations took the decision in a meeting of the office bearers after the Delhi High Court ordered the lawyers to resolve the matter. “We respect the order of the High Court so the abstinence from work is suspended, work is to be resumed from Saturday. Our fight for Advocates’ Protection Act will continue,” said Mahavir Sharma, chairman of the organisation.
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Earlier in the day, the HC had directed that no coercive action should be taken against two policemen booked in connection with the incident till the judicial inquiry is completed.
“There in no point in continuing with the strike when the High Court has asked the investigating agency not to arrest the two accused. Not resuming work will be against the order, and we cannot go against a judicial order,” Mr. Sharma added.
At least 20 security personnel and several advocates were injured in the clash over a parking dispute at the Tis Hazari Courts on November 2.
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The lawyers had started abstaining from work at all the six district courts from November 4, seeking, among other things, arrest of the two accused.
The policemen also organised a massive protest outside their headquarters at ITO on November 5 after a video clip went viral allegedly showing a group of lawyers slapping a policeman outside the Saket Courts.
The coordination panel had said it would suspended its agitation for ten days after they were assured by Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra that he would ensure the arrest of the two accused policemen. But their abstention from courts resumed on November 11 following breakdown of talks — brokered by Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal — between lawyers and police.