Can’t clap with one hand, there were problems from both sides: SC on lawyer-cop clash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 8

As the face-off between lawyers and Delhi Police personnel continues in Delhi, the Supreme Court on Friday expressed displeasure over the conduct of both the sides.

“There were problems from both sides. Nobody can clap with one hand. We should not speak much on the issue,” a Bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul commented after Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra said the situation at the Tis Hazari court complex in the National Capital aggravated because of high-handedness of the police and excessive use of force against lawyers.

The Bench – which also included Justice KM Joseph – said strike by lawyers to protest against the last week’s clashes was not the solution to deal with it.

“Sometimes our silence is good enough. It is better if we don’t say anything,” it said, refusing to say anything further.

A parking dispute between a policeman and a lawyer had triggered clashes between the two sides at the Tis Hazari court complex last Saturday. More than 20 policemen and many advocates were reported injured.

Lawyers in all six district courts in Delhi have stayed away from work ever since to protest against the clash. Delhi Police personnel too had organized a protest at the Delhi Police Headquarters in the capital demanding action against lawyers who beat up their colleagues.

The Bench disapproved of lawyers’ strikes which affected judicial work in the high court and trial courts, saying there were even weird reasons like temperature touching 45 degrees Celsius when advocates abstain from work.

As the Bench said the strike by the lawyers was not the solution to deal with such instances and there were other legal remedies available, the BCI assured that the situation in the Delhi district courts would return to normalcy that in a day or two.

The Bench—is seized of case on lawyers’ strike in the Orissa High Court and trial courts over appointment of judges—had sought assistance of Attorney General KK Venugopal, BCI, high court bar association and the Bar Council of Odisha in the matter.