Lawyers' strike: Allahabad HC frames contempt charges against lawyers continuing strike despite court orders
Court had issued notice to lawyers initiating the stirk on Thursday and had asked them to call off the strike or to face contempt of court action.
A seven-judge Bench at the Allahabad High Court on Friday framed contempt of court charges against Kanpur lawyers, who despite court's order to resume work immediately, continued with their strike.
The Kanpur Bar Association and the Lawyers Association, Kanpur called for a strike last month after a district judge misbehaved with lawyers. Initially, the lawyers decided only to boycott the court of District and Sessions Judge, Kanpur Nagar, but later the strike spread to other courts in the city as well.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justices Sunita Agarwal, Surya Prakash Kesarwani, Manoj Kumar Gupta, Anjani Kumar Mishra, Dr. Kaushal Jayendra Thaker and Mahesh Chandra Tripathi had passed an order on Thursday this week, asking the layers to call off the strike, however, the lawyers continued the same.
Taking note of the same, the seven judge bench framed contempt of court charges against several lawyers as well as office bearers of the two bar associations.
"The video recording of the strike, as made available by the District Judge, shows that the agitating lawyers indulged in slogan shouting, using abusive and derogatory language against the entire district judiciary, including the District Judge", the bench underscored.
On the last date of heraing, i.e. Thursday April 6, the seven judge bench had asked the lawyers to call off the strike immediately. Otherwise, the court had warned them to face contempt of court actions.
On Friday, Court noted that despite the court's order, the strike was still continuing and the judicial work continued to be hampered in Kanpur Nagar.
"Prima facie, it appears that the aforesaid noticees have failed to discharge the obligation upon them to call off the strike and to resume the judicial work, as directed by this Court yesterday. Thus, prima facie, they appear to be in contempt of Court," the court, therefore, held.
Court opined that by continuing the strike since March 16, 2023, the lawyers, with whom the Chief Justice and the administrative judges of Kanpur Nagar had held meetings separately as well as jointly with a view to resolving the issue, were in deliberate and wilful contempt of the high court.
"...paralysing the judicial work in the district judgeship at Kanpur Nagar and they have made themselves liable to face contempt proceedings," court said.
Case Title: In Re v. Zila Adhivakta Sangh Allahabad