"Allahabad High Court Decries Lawyers' Strike, Emphasizes the Human Element in Legal Cases"
The Allahabad High Court expressed its dissatisfaction with the ongoing strike by lawyers in Uttar Pradesh, emphasizing that legal cases should not be reduced to mere statistics. The strike, initiated by lawyers in response to a police lathi charge incident in Hapur district on August 30, drew criticism from the court.
Justice Kshitij Shailendra underscored that the purpose of the judicial system is not to serve as a source of livelihood for lawyers or to meet monthly case disposal quotas. Instead, the primary objective is to address the grievances and issues faced by litigants.
The court emphasized that each case involves human problems related to life, liberty, livelihood, family, business, profession, work, shelter, safety, and security. Many litigants, especially those from disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of society, are often defenseless, impoverished, and unaware.
The court emphasized that the concerns raised by lawyers should not outweigh the suffering and distress of litigants who have placed their trust in the judicial system.
The court's observation came during a case in which it noted that despite permitting lawyers to participate in video conference proceedings, they failed to appear.
In addition, the court observed that despite its intervention in a suo motu plea and positive efforts to address the lawyers' concerns, the strike continued, resulting in a growing backlog of new cases.
To ensure that litigants are not adversely affected by lawyers' non-cooperation, the court adjourned the matter in the interest of justice. The case will be revisited on September 26.
Advocate Vivek Sharma represented the petitioner, while advocates Dhananjay Awasthi and Pratik Chandra represented the Union of India.
TAGS: Allahabad High Court lawyers' strike human element in legal cases grievances judicial system litigation video conferencing backlog litigants justice.
