New Delhi, January 21
As a follow-up action to its “full court” resolution condemning the strike by lawyers of Tis Hazari Courts in the capital, considered to be one of the largest court complex in the country, the Delhi High Court today handed down a stern warning of “strong action” against them if they did not end the agitation, causing great inconvenience to public.

Taking serious note of a resolution of agitating lawyers, belonging to the Delhi Bar Association (DBA), representing advocates of Tis Hazari that they would “lock up” the court complex, the administrative committee of the high court, headed by Chief Justice Markandeya Katju, passed a resolution, empowering the police to take “strong action” against any disruption of judicial work.

“The police will take effective and strong steps to ensure that no one is allowed to disrupt or interfere with the functioning of the Tis Hazari, Rohini or other district courts, and if anyone attempts to do so, strong action will be taken against him in accordance with the law,” the committee said.

“This court warns the striking lawyers that the proposed shutting down of the Tis Hazari, Rohini or other courts will not be tolerated and unless they desist from interfering with the judicial work, serious consequences will follow,” it said.

To serve as advance warning to lawyers, the committee directed its Joint Registrar to get the resolution released to both print and electronic media for giving due publicity to it. The same was also sent to Chief Justice of India Y.K. Sabharwal, the District Judge of Delhi, Judges concerned incharge of different district courts in the capital, DBA, Delhi High Court and Supreme Court Bar Associations.

This followed the January 10 resolution of the “full court”, directing judicial officers to carry on their work without the help of lawyers under the 9-point guidelines issued by it to ensure that litigants did not suffer due to the agitation, resorted to by DBA against opening of the district court at Rohini in west Delhi.

In response to the “full court” order, the DBA passed a resolution on January 19 for “shutting down and locking up of the Tis Hazari complex” on January 23 and not to allow any Judge, lawyer, litigant or court staff to enter the premises.

Describing such a resolution as against the functioning of the “sovereign institution” like courts, the committee said “we will maintain our authority at all costs. If today the unruly and irresponsible section of the Bar are allowed to close down the district court, tomorrow they may well seek to close down the High Court or even the Supreme Court.”