Ensure security for lawyers, create more space in judicial complex: DBA president

By creating a welfare fund of over lakhs of rupees and upgrading the parking lot for lawyers, advocate Narinder Pal Singh, president of the District Bar Association (DBA) of Jalandhar, has expressed satisfaction over his term as head of the association that is nearing its end. The lawyer while denying any shortage of judges and courts in the district, however, raised a serious concern over the harassment being caused to litigants due to the shortage of space in the judicial complex. The Tribune reporter Rachna Khaira speaks to Narinder Pal Singh to discuss the high points of his year-long tenure and why security remains a prime concern for lawyers.

Tell us about your childhood and how you got attracted to this profession? 

I was born and brought up at Rupewaali village in the district and was inspired by my elder brother to join this profession. Though he himself was an agriculturist, he always wanted be to wear a long black robe.

Your year-long tenure as Bar president is going to end in December. How do you rate your performance? 

It’s been a great tenure and amongst my biggest achievement is the creation of the welfare fund worth lakhs of rupees, a share of which is given to lawyers in case of any exigency or death. While I have proposed to grant Rs 50, 000 in death cases, we are also reimbursing medical claims in certain cases. Though there was a provision of a welfare fund, it was almost negligible during the time of my joining. However, with consent of the bar, we managed to increase it multifold, putting a fee of Rs 50 for each power of attorney made by the lawyers.

Often, there have been complaints of multiple litigations forced upon a client by his lawyers. What is your take on this? Do you consider it ethical? 

Sometimes, there arise situations where we have to file multiple litigations for our clients to make their case stronger. However, if someone is doing it just to earn more money, it is unethical. In this situation, I urge litigants to approach the bar office and share their concern. It will be addressed immediately.

You have also opened a complaint cell in your office. What types of complaints do you generally receive against lawyers? 

A majority of the complaints include non-transparency by lawyers. People approached us with complaints like lawyer not providing them a copy of the judgment or have not doing the documentation properly. We generally reprimand the lawyer concerned to take care of his client’s concern or else face suspension. 

The much-controversial Chamber issue remains unsolved even after many years of struggle. What is the update? 

As a matter of fact, the chamber issue is soon going to get resolved as the High Court Building Committee, led by Justice TPS Maan, Inspecting Judge Surya Kant and the District and Sessions Judge Raj Shekhar Attri feel that the judicial complex is already choked and there is no further room for creating new courts. Due to this, a meeting has been called with the Chief Administrator of PUDA and chairman of the Improvement Trust of Jalandhar and a proposal will be mooted to exchange the land of the existing judicial complex with some other open space of the either of the two organisations.

Has any site been shortlisted before? 

Initially a site was identified on the Nakodar road near Pratapra village, but later it was decided to exchange the land in lieu of the judicial complex site. Since it has been decided that the entire judicial complex will be shifted, all future development works have now been stalled. Earlier, there was a proposal to build toilets at a cost of Rs 20 lakh and also to construct fourth floor to add more courts, but now both projects have been shelved. 

Is there any shortage of courts or judges in the district? 

Though there was a massive shortage of judges around five years ago, the situation has improved a lot since then. Earlier, judges had got a pendency of about 6,000 to 7,000 cases. Now, with 34 judges, the pendency has come down to 3,000 in most of the cases. 

Any other concern for lawyers? 

A major concern pertains to the security of the judicial complex, especially the lawyers’ chamber. The bloodshed of 1986 when six policemen were killed by terrorists openly in Jalandhar District Courts is still fresh in our minds. Every day, we deal with unscrupulous elements in society. It is important that the district administration should ensure security cover, especially for the lawyers’ chamber areas. They should install CCTV cameras also in the area.