L-G order: lawyers put strike on hold as Shah agrees to meet them

The All District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi on Thursday said lawyers have put on hold a strike againsta recent notification by Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena designating police stations as videoconferencing centres for officers to provide evidence in court.

The All District Courts Bar Association of Delhi is an amalgamation of various lawyers’ associations in the city.

Nagendra Kumar, president of the New Delhi Bar Association, told The Hindu that the decision was taken as Union Home Minister Amit Shah decided to meet the lawyers’ representatives on Monday to discuss the matter.

In a related development, the Delhi police said the L-G’s notification will be implemented after consulting all stakeholders. “In the meantime, the operation of the said notification on the ground would only be carried out after hearing all stakeholders,” read a statement.

The notification was issued on August 13 after the top brass of Delhi Police made a case before the L-G stating that such a move would “save time and resources”.

Several lawyers went on strike last Friday, calling for the notification to be rescinded.

The Supreme Court Bar Association had also taken serious note of the notification, saying it “gravely affects the independence of the judiciary and the fair administration of justice, besides being against the larger public interest”.

Meanwhile, at least two petitions have been moved before the Delhi High Court challenging the notification. The petitions are expected to be heard next Wednesday.