Cases Adjournment Request For Leisure Trip| P&H Bar Council Orders Samrala Bar Assoc. To Hold Legal Aid/Awareness Camps

The Punjab and Haryana Bar Council has called the November 19 resolution passed by the Samrala Bar Association requesting the Presiding Officers of the Court to "adjust and adjourn cases" on November 21 on account of a one-day Lawyers' trip to Morni Hills (Panchkula, Haryana) as 'unprofessional'.

However, instead of taking stern action against the office bearers of the Association, the Council has directed the Bar Association, Samrala through its President to hold at least seven legal-aid/legal literacy and legal awareness seminars/camps in the Samrala Court premises, primarily to reach out to the general public and empower the poor and disadvantaged sections of society to seek and demand justice services.

Essentially, the bar council's Special Committee had taken note of the resolution of the Samrala Bar Association on November 21 and had issued a show-cause notice to the Association's president. Dealing with the same, an order was passed by the Committee on December 7. 

Stressing that advocates have obligations and duties to ensure the smooth functioning of the Courts, the order of the Special Committee added that not appearing in Courts or requesting adjournments, without any justifiable reason, amounts to interference with the administration of justice, and no one can be allowed to disrupt Court proceedings and put the interests of their clients in jeopardy.

"Such resolution/letter/notice of the Bar along with the given reason of a 'leisure trip' certainly amounts to dereliction of duty and interference in the administration of justice. The Council is privy to many matters which necessitate Bar unity, but in such matters as well, it is strongly reiterated that alternate means of protest be adopted instead, to ensure the general public/litigant's interest remains unaffected...We cannot turn a blind eye towards such actions, and we feel that if timely action is not taken then such incidents will re-occur with other Bar Associations" the order further states.

In its order, the Special Committee underscored that the bar members must hold themselves accountable to the public and the system by increasing access to justice by reducing unnecessary delays and arrears in the system while enhancing our own accountability through structural changes and by setting performance standards and capacities.

However, since the President and other Bar members appeared before the special committee and expressed regret saying that it was not intentional, the Committee decided to not take any stern action in the matter and ordered the Association to hold legal aid/awareness camps and with this, the case was disposed of.