New Delhi: Delhi lawyers have withdrawn the judicial boycott movement against the Delhi Lieutenant Governor’s notification allowing testimony through video conferencing from Delhi police stations. The protest to be held in front of the Lieutenant Governor on August 29 will no longer be held. The Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations, an organization of all the bar associations of the lower courts of Delhi, announced the withdrawal of the judicial boycott after the Delhi Police informed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold talks with the lawyers of Delhi on this issue with an open mind. Till the result of the talks is out, no action will be taken on the Lieutenant Governor’s notification.
On Thursday, during a protest at Karkardooma Court, a lawyer named Ravikant Sharma died of a heart attack. Protests of lawyers were seen all over Delhi. The impact of the judicial boycott by lawyers was seen in Tis Hazari Court, Karkardooma Court, Rouse Avenue Court, Saket Court, Rohini Court, Patiala House Court and Dwarka Court. Not only was the judicial work disrupted in the court premises, but photocopy shops also remained closed.
Bar Council of India had expressed objection: The Delhi High Court Bar Association had also expressed its support for the lawyers of the lower courts and had called upon the lawyers to wear black bands during work on Thursday. The Supreme Court Advocate on Record Association had also supported the lawyers of the lower court and demanded the withdrawal of the notification of the Lieutenant Governor. The Bar Council of India, formed for the registration and regulation of lawyers across the country, had also expressed objection to the notification of the Lieutenant Governor. The demand of the lawyers of Delhi was also supported by the Supreme Court Bar Association and the Delhi High Court Bar Association.
Permission was given to record statements from police stations: This strike was called by the Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations, an organization of all the bar associations of the lower courts of Delhi. The Coordination Committee had said that the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi had issued a notification on August 13, allowing the recording of statements of policemen from police stations through video conferencing. Some places have been fixed for this. Against this decision of the Lieutenant Governor, the Coordination Committee had expressed its protest by writing a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Union Home Minister, Union Law and Justice Minister and Chief Minister of Delhi on August 20. According to the committee, the notification of the Lieutenant Governor was contrary to the circular of the Union Home Secretary dated July 15, 2024. In the circular of the Union Home Secretary, any kind of testimony in police stations was denied.
