[Advocates' Strikes In UP] Allahabad HC Issues Notice To BCI, Asks State Bar Council To Consider Resolving Local Disputes

The Allahabad High Court has issued a notice to the Bar Council of India in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Petition seeking relevant directions pertaining to the issue of strike calls of the Advocates across the state. 

The Bench of Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice J. J. Munir has issued the notice to the Bar Council of India through its Secretary for January 18, 2023.

Essentially, in this matter, the Court had earlier asked the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh to file an affidavit stating before the Court the status of all the District Bar Associations, Outlying Courts across the State, Tehsils, Commissionerate, and any other Bar Associations as to whether they are abstaining from judicial work at present, either in the continuation or for a particular day and since when.

Now, on Thursday, the State Bar Council submitted that a communication has been sent to all the Bar Associations in the State to collect information regarding the status of strikes in their respective jurisdictions.

Further, before the Court, the President of the High Court Bar Association, Allahabad (RK Ojha) suggested that the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh along with Office Bearers should convene a meeting of different Bar Associations in the State to find out the issues, in case, there are any, and resolve that by constituting some Committee.

He also suggested that the issue regarding the constitution of Committees at the district level may also be examined for the resolution of local disputes. In view of this, the Court asked the State Bar Council to consider this suggestion for the constitution of Committees at the district level.

Last month, the Allahabad High Court sought the personal presence of the Chairman of the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh to explain the steps which are proposed to be taken by the Council to prevent frequent Lawyers' Strikes in the future and the action to be taken in such cases.

The bench of Justice Ajay Bhanot ordered thus while dealing with a bail plea filed by one Suraj Pasi and after noting that the trial in the matter could not proceed on a number of occasions as the counsels were on strike.

Case title - Jairam vs. State of U.P. and others

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