The Allahabad High Court expressed concern over the culture of frequent strikes, stating it tarnishes the reputation of the legal profession. The court emphasized that such actions disrupt the justice delivery system and harm public trust. It urged legal professionals to fulfil their responsibilities more diligently.
The Allahabad High Court, expressing concern over the negative impact of frequent strikes on the reputation of the legal profession, directed all district judges in Uttar Pradesh to refrain from circulating any strike resolutions passed by Bar Associations in their respective jurisdictions.
This directive issued by a bench consisting of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Gautam Chowdhary, following the court’s attention being drawn to the fact that Bar Association members regularly pass strike resolutions.
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These resolutions are then circulated by district judges to all courts, causing many to cease operations, leaving litigants confused and stranded, unaware of the situation.
The court expressed its hope and trust that district court lawyers would adhere to the State Bar Council’s resolution to hold condolence meetings at 3:30 p.m., ensuring that the entire day’s proceedings are not disrupted.
The court remarked,
“We fail to understand why, in the state of Uttar Pradesh alone, lawyers feel the need to hold condolence meetings at 10 a.m., thereby obstructing court work for the entire day,”
The court stated,
“The judiciary is already burdened with a significant backlog of cases, and any further delays caused by strikes or condolence meetings are completely unwarranted,”
K. R. Chitra, a Supreme Court lawyer assisting the court, mentioned that when she occasionally appeared before the district judgeship in Gautam Buddha Nagar, she frequently harassed due to the lawyers’ repeated strike calls.
She further alleged that, regrettably, some advocates were engaging in activities unrelated to their professional responsibilities, which was damaging the reputation of the legal profession.
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In response to her concerns, the court emphasized the need for lawyers to reflect on their practice of calling strikes, stating that it is crucial to restore the public’s trust and for lawyers to reclaim the prestige of their noble profession.
In its order dated September 25, the court noted,
“We are aware that most lawyers across districts oppose the idea of strikes, and it is a small group of lawyers who, at the slightest provocation, resort to strikes in blatant disregard of the law set forth by the Supreme Court.”
The court scheduled the next hearing for October 22.