[COVID-19] Advocates exempted from restriction on movement during ongoing curfew if they show Bar ID proof: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has ordered that strict action would be taken against officers who restrict movement of advocates during the ongoing curfew for want of e-pass. .The Court on Tuesday said that movement of advocates cannot be restricted if they produce their Bar identity card or any other proof of being a practicing advocate..A single-judge Bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait further clarified that advocates shall not be humiliated on production of their Bar identity card or other proof. ."I hereby make it clear that any authority whosoever shall not stop any advocate in NCT of Delhi if he or she produces the Bar identity card or any proof of his/her being an advocate. I hereby make it clear that no officer of any authority shall humiliate any of the Advocates on production of the Bar identity card or other proof, failing which strict action shall be taken against the erring officer as per law," the order said. .The Court was dealing with a petition preferred by advocate Dharmender Singh who alleged harassment by Delhi Police officers on account of failing to show an e-pass for travel during the curfew. .The petitioner highlighted that as per Delhi government order issued earlier this month, advocates/legal counsels are exempted from restriction on movement if they show a valid ID proof. .In his petition, Singh thus prayed that appropriate legal and departmental actions be taken against the erring officers for violating the order. .Counsel for the State, Additional Standing Counsel Rajesh Mahajan, informed the Court that Delhi Disaster Management Authority had issued an instruction that movement of advocates is allowed during the curfew on production of valid ID Card and, therefore, no advocate will be stopped by any police official and or any State government officer. .He thus urged the Court to dispose of the petition by clarifying this position..The counsel for petitioner also agreed to give quietus to the issue. .The petition was, therefore, disposed of. .Petitioner was represented by Advocates Yogesh Gaur, Darshan, Amar Phogat, Satish Kumar Paanchal, Sanjeev Chopra, Vinod Dahiya, Azam Ansari, Mohd. Mustafa, Md. Ashfaque Ansari. .[Read Order]