Calcutta High Court Urges Lawyers to End Strikes After Attacks and Protect Litigants

The Calcutta High Court asked Bar representatives to persuade lawyers at two subordinate courts to end strikes triggered by reported attacks on advocates.

Background

The Division Bench was hearing a suo motu matter after an alleged assault on advocate Sayan Banerjee at Baruipur court. Reports of further incidents at Kolkata and Chandannagar were also placed before it.

Legal issue

The Court examined both the need to protect advocates and the consequences for litigants when scheduled hearings cannot proceed because of abstention from work.

Court’s approach

Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Om Narayan Rai requested a West Bengal Bar Council member to engage the affected associations. The Court also ordered preservation of CCTV footage relating to the Baruipur incident.

What follows

The matter was listed for October 12 to check whether the strikes had ended, while the broader suo motu case remains pending.