New Delhi: Lawyers on Thursday went on a day-long
strike in all six district courts here in protest against
delay in transferring power to lower courts to hear all civil
cases irrespective of the money involved in it.
The call of strike impacted hearing of cases, including
the high-profile 2G case where lawyers, appearing for Reliance
Telecom, were forced to stop advancing arguments.
"There was a complete strike in district courts. This is
a strike in public interest. If the jurisdiction is
transferred to trial courts, then lawyers assure citizens that
civil cases would be decided in two years," Rajiv Khosla,
spokesperson of Co-ordination Committee of all Bar Association
of Delhi, said.
The lawyers did not appear even in urgent matters, the
committee, in its release, said.
The litigants and witnesses, who came to attend or depose
in their matters, had a tough time at Patiala House, Tis
Hazari, Karkardooma, Rohini, Dwarka and Saket district courts
complexes as striking lawyers drove them out.
The striking lawyers stayed away from the proceedings of
Special CBI Judge O P Saini who has been asked by the Supreme
Court to hear the 2G case on a day-to-day basis.
"I don`t want any scene in my courtroom," the CBI Judge
reacted when lawyers barged inside and asked advocates of Hari
Nair, senior Vice President of Reliance ADAG, to stop arguing
and join their strike.
The judge, hearing arguments on charges against Nair,
told the defence counsel to take a break for sometime.
As lawyers were forced to come out, the accused,
including former Telecom Minister A Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and
other corporate honchos themselves put forward their case
before the judge.
The court, however, was unable to resume its work and
adjourned the hearing for tomorrow.
PTI
