Today, On 9th May, Punjab & Haryana High Court criticised lawyers for observing a “No Work Day” amid rising India-Pakistan tensions, asking, “Forces are fighting the battle, you will be sitting home & resting? Soldiers are at war.”
Punjab & Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu voiced concerns about the High Court Bar Association’s decision to suspend judicial work in light of the current tensions between India and Pakistan.
Earlier, On may 8, The Bar Association had declared the previous night to observe a “no work day” due to the escalating war-like situation and requested the Court to refrain from issuing any adverse orders.
As a result, the High Court had to postpone a significant number of cases due to the absence of lawyers.
During a hearing for a petition concerning the ongoing water-sharing dispute between Punjab and Haryana, Justice Nagu stated,
“The ‘No Work Call’ was a little unfortunate. I expressed my concerns to your President [of Bar Association] that when the forces are fighting the battle, you will be sitting at home and resting? That is very unfortunate.”
Justice Nagu made the remark after a counsel appearing for the Punjab government sought adjournment of the case due to absence of a senior counsel appearing in the matter.
However, the Court said that institutions have to continue functioning.
Justice Nagu said,
“We also have to work…otherwise the entire system of the country will come to a grinding stay,”
The counsel responded that the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has also given a call for no work.
He added,
“The sirens went off in Panchkula at around 11 today in morning. The movement is curtailed to some extent,”
At this, the Court said the lawyers can work from home.
Justice Nagu said,
“We have the platform. Everybody can sit and home and stay connected,”
Considering the importance of the water-sharing dispute case, the Court said it would take up the matter at 4 PM. The case is listed before Justice Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel.
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The blackout in Chandigarh High Court area has created serious problems for everyone inside the court complex. Due to the power cut, many essential services like fans, lights, and elevators have stopped working, and this has created a lot of discomfort for the lawyers, litigants, and the staff.
The Bar Association strongly highlighted this issue in their decision to call for a ‘No Work Day’.
The blackout inside the High Court complex has caused serious inconvenience for everyone, including lawyers, court staff, and litigants. With no electricity, essential facilities such as fans, lighting, and elevators have stopped working, making courtrooms uncomfortable and disrupting regular work.
Besides the power cut issue, the Bar Association also referred to the increasing cross-border tension as another major reason behind the advisory. The tension has grown stronger after India conducted ‘Operation Sindoor’, a recent military strike on Pakistani terror camps.
This operation was reportedly carried out in response to the brutal Poonch terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where Indian Army personnel lost their lives.
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