Bar Council flays sloganeering against HC Judges over Yug murder case judgment

The Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh has condemned the incident of slogan shouting, hurling of abuses and attempts to malign the image of the High Court Judges, who had delivered the judgment in the Yug Gupta murder case.

The Bar Council of Himachal Pradesh reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to upholding the dignity and independence of the judiciary, which was essential for maintaining the rule of law and democratic governance.

An emergency meeting of the general house convened by the Bar Council on September 26 on the matter of a large number of people holding a procession in Shimla city and showing their resentment over the judgment of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh in the Yug murder case.

The Bar Council in a press statement issued said that after the pronouncement of the judgment by the High Court of Himachal Pradesh in the Yug murder case, some sections of the public indulged in an unruly conduct by raising slogans, using an abusive language and making derogatory remarks against the Judges who had delivered the judgment.

The Bar Council unanimously resolved that such acts amounted to gross disrespect to the majesty of law, an affront to the dignity of the judiciary and a strike at the very foundation of the rule of law. The independence of the judiciary was one of the basic features of the Constitution of India and any attempt to browbeat, abuse and intimidate the judiciary undermined public confidence in the justice delivery system. The authorities concerned, which had given the permission for the procession, was duty bound to visualise the consequences beforehand. The police, which were to maintain law and order, also failed in their duties to control the unruly mob.

The Bar Council urged the police to take immediate action against persons, who were involved in the procession and had resorted to the use of an abusive language against the Hon’ble Judges and the institution of judiciary, besides fixing the personal responsibility of government official(s), who failed to perform their duties.