On 11 December, the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir, issued the striking lawyers, show-cause notices seeking their response to why they should not be tried for the criminal contempt of court.
The Jammu Bar Association members had been on an ambiguous strike since November 1, preventing the litigants and lawyers access to the courts. The strike began against the administration’s decision, depriving the courts of the power to register various documents and the same bestowed to the Revenue Department.
A bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal strongly disapproved of the ongoing lawyer’s strike, blocking access to various courts in the Jammu region. The bench issued notices to the lawyers taking Suo Motu cognizance of the strike and sought their replies within two weeks.
The next date of the hearing was scheduled for 20 January 2020.
“The mere call for a meeting or the very decision to proceed on strike; remaining absent from the court and boycott of judicial proceedings; locking courts and preventing entry to those wanting to enter (the court premises) are ‘completely illegal’ rendering all persons, responsible for the same, liable to appropriate action as mandated by the Supreme Court of India” read the 46-page order.
