After 2 Weeks Of Deadlock, Lawyers In Delhi Call Off Strike; Courts To Resume Work From Saturday

Almost after two weeks of clashes with the Delhi police at the Tiz Hazari court, lawyers of the national capital called off their strike on Friday evening and will resume to work from Saturday onward.

Even the Delhi Police resumed work at the Tis Hazari Court complex where clashes had erupted. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Almost after two weeks of clashes with the Delhi police at the Tis Hazari court, lawyers of the national capital called off their strike on Friday evening and will resume to work from Saturday onward. "With this decision, all district courts in Delhi would resume normal functioning from Saturday," the lawyers said. Even the Delhi Police resumed work at the Tis Hazari Court complex where clashes had erupted between the police and the lawyers on November 2 following a parking row. "We respect the order of the high court, so the abstinence from work is suspended, work to be resumed from Saturday. We thank all the members for cooperation. Our fight for the Advocates Protection Act will continue," said Mahavir Singh Sharma, Chairman of the coordination committee of All Bar Associations in Delhi . On Thursday, the Delhi Police resumed work at the Tis Hazari Court complex where clashes had erupted between the police and the lawyers on November 2 following a parking row. After the clashes, both police personnel and lawyers held separate rallies in the national capital demanding justice. Deputy Commissioner of Police Monika Bhardwaj apprised District Judge Girish Kathpalia of the security status and informed him that police personnel have been deployed at the three entrances of the court premises. Amidst apprehensions of a hostile environment, about 20 police personnel resumed work wearing civil dress instead of the uniform. On Thursday, lawyers in all the six district courts in the national capital continued to boycott work completely to protest against the clash at Tis Hazari court in early November, with proxy counsels appearing in courts to take dates in matters and assist the litigants. Hundreds of advocates marched on the streets near the Saket court, raising "We want justice" slogan and holding placards. Traffic was blocked and diverted for half an hour while they marched on the road. Important cases have been deferred due to non-appearance of counsels. The judgement in the case of alleged sexual and physical assault of several girls at a shelter home in Bihar's Muzaffarpur was deferred for a month till December 12 as the 20 accused, who are currently lodged in Tihar central jail, could not be brought to court premises. The fast track trial in the sensational 2017 Unnao rape case, which was to be heard on a day-today basis on the orders of the Supreme Court, also got affected as the accused, expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, and other co-accused could not be brought to court due to security reasons. The tension between police personnel and lawyers has been building up since November 2 when a clash over a parking dispute led to at least 20 security personnel and several advocates being injured. Lawyers in six district courts have been on strike since November 4 to protest against the clash. In unprecedented protests by the Delhi Police, thousands of its personnel had laid siege outside the police headquarters for 11 hours on November 5 and staged a virtual revolt sparked by two attacks on their colleagues by the lawyers. (With inputs from PTI)