A SLP (Special Leave Petition) has been filed before the apex court by lawyers in Lucknow against the Allahabad High Court order directing an investigation by a high powered task force against lawyers who have criminal cases against them. The lawyers of the Central and Lucknow Bar Associations have decided to boycott a local daily and undertake a peaceful march on 22 November to hand over their memorandum to the Governor.

Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice V.K Dixit of Division Bench of the Lucknow Bench had earlier passed an order to take strict action against lawyers who have criminal backgrounds and ordered an investigation by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigations). On November 11 the CBI had registered 11 First Information Reports (FIR) against lawyers in Lucknow and a total of three thirty cases were registered against lawyers between 2005 and 2010 according to the Times of India. 

The CBI-SIT that is probing into the matters is expected to file its report on November 29th. The order for a special investigation came after Prashant Singh Gaur a local lawyer filed a writ petition before the High Court seeking protection from lawyers in the city who were obstructing him from performing his professional duties. The lawyers had assaulted and humiliated Prashant while he was going to represent his client at the court of the Civil Judge Junior Division.  The High Court has directed the CBI-SIT to even use provisions of the Goonda Act if applicable.

The situation in Lucknow is showing the Bar in terrible light. How can the Bar push for more accountability and transparency in the judiciary while being so tainted in its own right?

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