New Delhi :A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Monday said that no striking lawyer can enter a courtroom asking advocates to vacate courtroom and also ask judge not to do judicial work and warned that the court will take a serious view of strike by Gautam Buddh Nagar bar body and manhandling of the advocates.
Last month, the apex court took note of the alleged manhandling of senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia and a lady lawyer in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district court. The bench, also comprising justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, also made clear that the court has taken a dim view of the incident and the fact that the persons responsible have not been identified till now.
Today, the apex court said: “Even if they (local bar leaders) have apologised, we will take a dim view of this… no lawyer can compel a court (judge) and lawyers to leave the court, we will take it very seriously”. The apex court also sought response from the Uttar Pradesh government after taking note of a report from the Gautam Buddh Nagar district judge, Amit Saxena, that CCTV cameras on the court’s premises were lying defunct due to lack of funds required for maintenance. The apex court has scheduled the matter for further hearing next Monday.
During the hearing, on lawyers restraining colleagues from entering courts, the CJI said protest is not strike and “you cannot enter the court and ask the lawyers ‘chalo nikal jao yaha se’ (get out of here). We will take it very seriously.”