P&H HC: Entry Of Litigants To HC Allegedly Restricted By Lawyers, HC Issues Notice To The Bar [Read Order]

The Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana constituted a full bench today, in order to address the law and order catastrophe in the court premises itself. 

The court noted that the Advocates as well as members of the Bar Association of Punjab and Haryana High Court have not only been abstaining from work but were also restraining entry in the court premises. They have locked all entry gates and have set a scanning counter at Gate No. 1 of the premises, where scanning into urgency of the litigation was being done before permitting the litigants to enter.

The matter was brought to the notice of the court by way of three complaints made by different litigants who were forcibly denied entry into the premises of the High Court despite having a valid entry pass.

The bench comprised by Chief Justice Krishna Murari, Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain said that such actions of the lawyers interfered with the right of a litigant to have access to the Court and was totally illegal and unconstitutional. The bench said that the lawyers could not be allowed to obstruct due administration of justice. The bench has issued notice to Bar Association.

Let notices be issued for tomorrow i.e. 14.08.2019 to Bar Association of Punjab and Haryana High Court through its Secretary, Union Territory, Chandigarh through its Advisor and Union of India through Additional Solicitor General of India and Assistant Solicitor General of India

The bench directed to implead Union Territory of Chandigarh as a party since the responsibility to ensure peace, harmony and law and order around the High Court premises vested with the Chandigarh Administration. Notices were also issued to the Bar Association of Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Union of India.

The matter, titled as Court On Its Own Motion v. State of Haryana, will be listed tomorrow in the personal presence of Advisor, Home Secretary and Director General of Police, of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

The State of Haryana was represented by Advocate General B. R. Mahajan, with Addl. Advocate General Lokesh Sinhal. 

Click here to download the Order