Uttarakhand HC lawyers boycott court of Lok Pal Singh J after judge imposes costs

Lawyers at the Uttarakhand High Court at Nainital are continuing to boycott the court of Justice Lok Pal Singh, in protest of the judge’s alleged misbehaviour towards the Bar..The protests started yesterday, with the judge making disparaging remarks against and imposing heavy costs on lawyers appearing before him. Advocates were directed to pay as much as Rs. 2 lakh in costs. This resulted in the High Court Bar Association at Nainital calling for a boycott of Court No 7..In reaction to the call for boycott of his court, Justice Singh has proceeded to take action against the President of the Bar Association, SN Khurshid, as well as General Secretary Sandeep Tiwari.. Speaking to Bar & Bench, Tiwari said,.“We have gathered at the High Court premises and are agitating against Justice Lok Pal Singh. We are protesting his behaviour against judges and whimsical orders passed against advocates..Yesterday, one of the members of Bar, at the behest of some person, lodged an FIR against our President, and police is investigating that matter. Police has been deployed at the High Court. Notice of criminal contempt has also been issued against myself and the President.”.The FIR against the President has been lodged under Sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation)..In the face of police presence on the High Court campus, the advocates are continuing to boycott Justice Singh’s court..HT to @suhaasjoshi