Litigants suffer as lawyers shun work for T20 WC match

Patiala, November 10

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Litigants faced hardships as the District Bar Association (DBA) today observed half-day off to watch the World Cup T20I semi-final between India and England. While India eventually lost the match, the DBA decision led to hundreds of cases getting adjourned.

An elderly man, who was accompanied by a girl, said he was at the court for a matter related to a matrimonial dispute and the case was adjourned. “We reached the court in the morning as asked by our counsel. It is 4 pm now and we have been told that the case has been adjourned.”

A senior police official, who had come for his evidence in a criminal case, said, “I travelled almost three hours to reach the court and when I was just entering the premises, a typist at the entry told me that the cases have been adjourned because of lawyers staying off work.”

A notice by the DBA read, “Today, an emergency meeting of the executive was convened and held under the presidentship of advocate Jatinder Pal Singh Ghumaan in view of the India-England match. It was resolved that the DBA will observe ‘No Work’ after lunch in the district courts. All respected judicial officers, revenue courts and presiding officers of Tribunals are requested to adjourn the matters listed for today.”

A senior second-generation lawyer with over a decade of experience said even he was surprised when he received the decision of the Bar in an official social media group. “Already litigants are facing hardships due to long-pending cases. Such decisions only add to their harassment,” he said.