NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Bar Association’s (DHCBA) call to abstain from work on the first and third Saturdays of every month impacted court proceedings on Saturday, as most cases were adjourned due to the non-appearance of lawyers.
The DHCBA has called for abstaining from work in protest against the high court’s decision to designate the first and third Saturdays as regular court sitting days. The boycott began on Saturday. The high court had uploaded a 141-page cause list (matters to be heard), while notifying the sitting of at least two dozen benches.
However, as the day began, many benches, including the one led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, did not assemble. Judges who held court granted adjournments in most matters after proxy counsel appeared and sought deferment. The Executive Committee of the DHCBA had taken the decision to abstain from work “unanimously” at a meeting held on March 27.
The Bar Association said the Committee considered concerns raised by members regarding the practical challenges posed by Saturday sittings.
“Members had expressed that the present arrangement would cause significant disruption to their professional schedules,” it said. It added that multiple representations were made seeking reconsideration; “however, no reconsideration had taken place.”