New Delhi: Amid the fresh flare-up between India and Pakistan, Rajasthan High Court Lawyers’ Association has requested the Chief Justice of the high court to declare 12 to 16 May as “no-work period … in light of the prevailing sensitive and volatile situation in the region, coupled with a sustained blackout and imminent threat posed by separatist and disruptive forces”.
The resolution passed Saturday said the bar has resolved this “in order to ensure the safety and security of all the learned members of the bar and litigants, judicial officers and all stakeholders”.
The resolution clarified that the appeal was being made “purely in the interest of caution and to avoid any untoward incidents, keeping in mind the tense law and order situation that has raised serious concerns across the legal fraternity and public at large”.
It has accordingly demanded directions for the high court as well as the subordinate judiciary.
Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had issued directions for restricted functioning of several lower courts “in order to ensure the safety of general public, advocates, litigants, staff and judicial officers”.
The order, issued Thursday, said courts in Amritsar and sub-divisional courts in the border town of Ajnala will be closed temporarily for public entry to restrict footfall from 9 to 14 May.
The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh also issued a circular Friday “in view of the prevailing situation on account of the recent escalation and continued intense cross-border artillery firing by Pakistan along the Line of Control in border areas of Karnah, Kralpora, Uri and Gurez”.
The circular said that the Chief Justice had taken cognisance of the security situation in these areas, and directed the judicial officers and staff of the courts at Karnah, Kralpora, Gurez and Uri to leave their places of residence and move to safe zones.
However, it said that judicial officers and staff of courts at these four locations shall “remain available at all times at their places of stay to deal with any business of emergent nature which shall be transacted in virtual mode”.
The circular added that any court staff in distress, need or difficulty of any kind shall seek the assistance of the principal district and sessions judges in Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
No-work period? Why, what for?
Do these lawyers plan on going to fight Pakistan at the LoC?
No wonder people look down on lawyers and consider them scumbags. Amongst all professional communities, they are the most selfish, self-centred and narcissistic ones.