No dignified lawyer in the country will support it: Chhattisgarh HC registers suo motu case over lawyers’ strike in Durg

The Chhattisgarh High Court on Friday registered a suo motu case over a lawyers’ strike carried out in the Durg District court by lawyers over the shifting of a family court..Taking critical note of the “shocking state of affairs”, Chief Justice PR Ramachandra Menon and Justice Parth Prateem Sahu observed,.“It is not unknown that threat to judiciary, from different corners, has become order of the day. If Bar and the Bench are two sides of the same coin, now the threat is from within."Chhattisgarh High Court.The Court proceeded to emphasise,.“As far as the proceedings of the Courts are concerned, interest of the litigants is of paramount importance and nobody can be permitted to take the law in their hands, whoever he may be, whether a Lawyer, Doctor, Engineer, Architect, Worker or a common man. The System and the Institution will collapse, if this Court is not in a position to protect the interest of all concerned as above, and if not, there is no meaning for the existence of the Institution.”.Further, taking note of the move by striking lawyers to intimidate judicial officers, other lawyers and litigants at the court, the Bench observed, .… We have no doubt that no dignified Lawyer in the country will ever support it.Chhattisgarh High Court.The High Court was acting on a report received from a District Judge in Durg on January 15, which detailed the “extremely unpleasant events” following the move to temporarily shift the Family Court to a location 3-4 kms away, as identified by the District Collector..Whereas some lawyers had put forth suggestions for locations where the premises could be shifted, it was found that these sites were not vacant. The subsequent move to shift the Family Court to area marked by the District Collector was said to have been “forcefully obstructed by lawyers, which, the Court records “went beyond all proportions and … is continuing from 13.01.2020.”.The Court was informed that lawyers, under the cover of the Durg District Bar Association, were abstaining from duties, “besides forcefully obstructing the Judicial Officers and staff from doing their work and in preventing other Lawyers, litigants, witnesses and other stakeholders from entering the Court.”.On January 14, the Court was told that the the protesters "virtually threatened the Judicial Officers and staff of dire consequences, including of assault, if they performed any Court work." The Court further recorded,.“The main gate to the Court premises was forcefully locked by the agitating Lawyers and they obstructed the vehicles of the Judicial Officers keeping them out; which made the Judicial Officers to walk down to Courts in fear and threat. The threat and shouting abusive words continued on the next day as well.”.While reporting these events, the District Judge also placed on record CCTV footage of the same before the High Court. In response, the High Court observed that the acts were contrary to the noble and dignified status attached with the legal profession.."… Over and above the 'Strike' that is called for, what disturbs this Court more, is the course and conduct displayed by the persons proclaimed as “Lawyers”, who pursue a noble and dignified profession, in forcefully obstructing the Judicial Officers and staff and intimidating them of assault.”Chhattisgarh High Court.Taking serious note of the events, the Bench on Friday issued a series of orders for the police protection of judicial officers and litigants, and directing that criminal proceedings be initiated against delinquent lawyers. The Court also informed that any case which is connected to the issue before the Court, including anticipatory bail pleas, should be tagged with the suo moto case now registered..The Court has posted the matter for further hearing on January 21, after directing the presence of the office bearers of the Durg District Bar Association..[Read the Order]