Delhi bar body condemns police letter, announces strike from Sep 8

New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) Condemning a letter to the principal district and sessions judges about proposed means of police virtually presenting evidence in courts, a bar body has announced an indefinite and intensified lawyers' strike from September 8 onwards.

A communication said, "An emergent meeting of the Coordination Committee of all District Bar Associations of Delhi (district courts) was held today after the circular (letter) from the office of the commissioner of police dated September 4 regarding examination of police witnesses via audio-video and electronic means from police stations." It said a delegation comprising representatives of the coordination committee and Bar Council of Delhi had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 2 to apprise the resentment among the legal fraternity against the notification dated August 13 issued by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) designating the police stations of Delhi as the place to record evidence of police officials.

The committee's communication said that after deliberation and discussion, it was assured by the Union home minister that an official correspondence or circular would be issued to clarify that the examination of police officials shall not take place from the police stations.

It said, "However, today's communication from the office of the commissioner of police is not in line with the final outcome and assurance given by the Union Home Minister to the delegation of the committee and representatives of the bar council." The communication "strongly condemned" the letter, saying it was not in line with Shah's assurance and instead categorised formal and material witnesses, mentioned discretion about the appearance of witnesses and left the whole jurisdiction of their physical appearance on the courts concerned.

These aspects were never discussed in the meeting, said the communication signed by the committee's chairman V K Singh and secretary Anil Kr Basoya.

"Accordingly, it is decided that there shall be complete indefinite abstention from work in all district courts of Delhi from Monday i.e, September 8 and there shall also be agitation in more intensified manner against the arbitrary and illegal notification which is not only against the concept of free and fair trial but is anti-public and curtails the right of an accused to defend and the today's circular be contrary to the assurance given by the Union Home Minister." On August 13, the LG issued the notification, which prompted city lawyers to go on strike.

The protest, which started on August 22, ended on August 28 after a meeting with the representative of Shah and a statement by the Delhi Police commissioner clarifying that the notification would become operational after all stakeholders were heard. PTI MNR ZMN