Oudh Bar Association of Allahabad HC Lucknow Resolves to Continue Strike Tomorrow

An emergent meeting of the Executive of Oudh Bar Association was held under the Chairmanship of Sri Anand Mani Tripathi, President of the Oudh Bar Association conducted by Mr. Manoj Kumar Mishra General Secretary Oudh Bar Association, in which it was resolved to abstain from work on 11 September 2023 (Monday).

The Resolution states:

1. The Oudh Bar Association is our association working since 1901 and has actively participated in protection of rights and liberties of the poor, oppressed and suppressed class. It’s the Oudh Bar Association which always potrays a role of a bridge between the suppressed class and the benches who deliver justice to them. In working for the oppressed and suppressed class we are also aware about our rights and the rights of the members of the legal faternity.
2. It is the Oudh Bar Association which has taken intiative to stand for what is right and just, we also draw and interpret as to what is a fine line between what is just and reasonable. Working as a soldier of protecting rights and liberties, we cannot let any organization, institution or any machinery to oppresses the soldiers in black robes throughout the country. Any movement which would effect the rights and liberties of a lawyer would also not go unseen by the Oudh Bar Association, Lucknow.
3. The Oudh Bar Association through its various resolution has highly condemned the brutal incident of “Lathi Charge” on lawyers which happened on the uneventful day of 29.08.2023. The Oudh Bar Association on the same very day in an emergent meeting condemned the action of the state machinery at Hapur vide its resolution dated 29.08.2023 and resolved that we would boycott the judicial work on 30.08.2023.
4. The Oudh Bar Association and the entire fraternity at High Court Lucknow stood in solidarity within brothers and sisters at Hapur. It was the initiation Oudh Bar Association which led all the various Bar Associations of Uttar Pradesh and others states of the country to join us in the movement, which was later joined by the parent body of lawyers here at Uttar Pradesh, the Bar council of Uttar Pradesh.
5. The Oudh Bar Association in its resolution made a clear demand for and independent, unbiased, Special Investigation Team to inquire and investigate into the happening of brutal incidents which were duly recorded and witnessed by the country at large. Further, we requested for strict and stern action against the guilty personnel of District Administration at Hapur.
6. The Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh vide its resolution on 03.09.2023 resolved that the fraternity members would abstain from the judicial work for further period of three days i.e., on dated 04.09.2023, 05.09.2023, 06.09.2023, lawyers here at Lucknow fully extended their solidarity with brother and sisters at Hapur and abstain from Judicial work and all the Judicial work in the State of Uttar Pradesh was put to halt.
7. The resolution dated 03.09.2023 by the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh specified the actions to be taken by the various members of the association, they were supposed to give a demand letter to various district authorities and on 05.09.2023 it was decided that a peaceful protest and burning of effigies of Chief Secretary Uttar Pradesh and Director General of Police would take place in a peaceful manner till 06.09.2023. a peaceful protest and total abstinence of Judicial work was taken by the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh.
8. On 03.09.2023 the Oudh Bar Association vide its resolution demanded that the State Government initiate strict action against personnel of District Administration at Hapur and constitute SIT with inclusive of a judicial member to make the investigation independent and unbiased.
9. On 04.09.2023, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Uttar Pradesh took suo moto cognizance of the incidents and events and to our utter surprise a request to introspect was made by the Bench to the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh, respective Bar Association across at the State. The Hon’ble High Court Allahabad asked lawyers to act in due deference to law laid down by the Supreme Court. Further were asked not to take any unpleasant steps and resume work forthwith. However, a Retired Principal Judge, Family Court was also directed to join as a member of SIT which was constituted by the State Government.
10. The lawyers and the fraternity members throughout the nation joined hands and stood by our resolutions and demand letters were videly circulated throughout the nation on social media and via WhatApps.
11. On 09.09.2023 a miscellaneous application was moved by the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh before the specially constituted bench and the hearing was held in the chamber wherein it was held the application of Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh dated 07.09.2023 containing its grievances in relation to the incident be placed before a committee chaired by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta consisting of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Rajan Roy Hon’ble Mr. Justice Faiz Alam Khan, Advocate General, Chairman Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh, President High Court Bar Association Allahabad.
12. In the meanwhile, the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh also held its meeting and all the elected members of the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh were present before the apex body to raise their grievances and plight of the lawyers at large in the State of Uttar Pradesh . Its pains to see that through various letters and post on WhatApps and the social media networks a state of confusion and chaos is prevalent amongst the members of the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh. They members through various posts and letters are seen clarifying their stands. The Oudh Bar Association does not appreciates the manner in which the parent body of the lawyers in functioning. The working and the pattern is based on the narration to fade the issue in hand.
13. The Oudh Bar Association always stood for what is right and just and will not shy away in saying that the stand taken by the institution and the machinery is totally ignorant with the plight and our struggle to achieve justice in the present incident.
14. It was unfortunate that the Hapur Bar Association vide its resolution dated 10.09.2023 had to write again to the various Bar Association requesting for support from them and amongst the fraternity members.
15. We have seen that the men in black robes have always stood against injustice, it was men in black robes which contributed at large to the freedom struggle and for the framing of the rule book of fundamental rights and duties i.e., our constitution. We will also not shy away in saying that we will stand with our brothers and sisters in complete solidarity. Therefore, in the light of above said the Executive Committee and the Members of Governing Council resolves that we will abstain from judicial work on 11.09.2023.
16. A meeting to decide further course of action is scheduled on 11.09.2023 in Oudh Bar Association at 4.30 P.M. The continuance of abstinence of work will depend upon the decision of State Government.