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Synopsis

The ongoing strike by lawyers in Uttar Pradesh, protesting the police lathi-charge incident in Hapur district, has come to an end. This decision was reached after the state government agreed to the demands put forth by the Bar Council.

The Bar Council's demands included the dismissal of FIRs against the protesting lawyers and the suspension or transfer of police officials involved in the incident. The lawyers had also sought compensation for the injured advocates and the implementation of the Advocates Protection Act in the state.

The government has assured that all these demands will be fully met. Consequently, lawyers in the state received notifications on their phones instructing them to resume work starting from September 15.

On August 29 at Hapur, police reportedly resorted to lathi-charging lawyers who were vehemently opposing a case lodged against a female advocate and her father just a week prior. 

The clash triggered a wave of strikes by multiple Bar Associations throughout the State in solidarity with the aggrieved advocates.

The high court then took suo motu cognizance of the lawyers' strike and on September 4, 2023, directed the State Government to include Hari Nath Pandey, Retd. Principal Judge, Family Court, Lucknow as a member in the SIT constituted by the State to investigate the matter. 

Moreover, court ordered the Superintendent of Police, Hapur to ensure that the complaint lodged by the advocates of the incident is also duly registered and investigated as per law.

However, despite the high court's intereference, the lawyers continued the strike to protest against the state government. 

A committee to address the grievances raised by the lawyers has also been formed by the high court. 

The committee will hold its first meeting on September 16, 2023. 

Meanwhile, as lawyers refrained from participating in proceedings at the high court and as the judges adjourned the cases, they remarked on the prevalence of strikes within the legal community and its ramifications for litigants.

Justice Kshitij Shailendra, in one of his orders, noted that lawyers' strike waste not only judicial time but also cause immense loss and harm to all the social values and lawyers are well-equipped with all legal means to find out solutions to any problem.