Allahabad, July 12, 2024 – In a significant move, the Allahabad High Court has mandated the Bar Council of India (BCI), the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, and other bar associations to present their strategies for enforcing the Supreme Court’s ban on lawyer strikes.
This directive emerged from a contempt hearing concerning the ongoing strikes by advocates in Uttar Pradesh. The District Bar Association, Prayagraj’s counsel acknowledged the Supreme Court’s stance against strikes, emphasizing the need for collaboration with the Bar Council to devise an effective plan to halt such actions.
Representatives from the BCI and the State Bar Council requested additional time to gather comprehensive instructions on the matter. Consequently, Justices Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Dr. Gautam Chowdhary ordered:
“The Bar Council of India, the State Bar Council, and the respective Bar Associations of the High Court Allahabad and the District Bar Association Prayagraj must file affidavits detailing their proposed measures to ensure adherence to the Supreme Court’s directives against lawyer strikes.”
The Court was informed that a report from the Registrar General revealed significant disruptions in nearly all districts of Uttar Pradesh due to the strikes. This report is to be shared with both the BCI and the State Bar Council. The next hearing is scheduled for July 16.
Senior Advocate RK Ojha represented the District Bar Association, Prayagraj, while Advocate Sai Girdhar appeared for the BCI and Advocate Ashok Kumar Tiwari for the State Bar Council. Meanwhile, the BCI has planned a joint virtual meeting on Sunday, July 14, to discuss the ongoing strike issue.
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association abstained from work on July 10, protesting against the High Court administration’s failure to address specific issues, particularly the behavior of certain judges towards the Bar. This strike continued into July 11.
