The Hindu : New Delhi News : Lawyers abstain work against decision on Lok Adalats

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Lawyers abstain work against decision on Lok Adalats

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 15. Lawyers of the Delhi High Court, the three district courts -- Tis Hazari, Patiala House and Karkardooma -- and the Tribunals today abstained from courts in protest against the decision by the Delhi Government to set up permanent Lok Adalats.

The Coordination Committee of All Bar Associations of Delhi today said in a statement that it was of the firm view that the Government was misleading people by justifying its decision to set up permanent Lok Adalats on the ground that the new judicial mechanism would get speedy justice.

The statement alleged that it was a calculated move on the part of the Government to rehabilitate their favourite retired bureaucrats at the cost of helpless litigants, who would be deprived of the opportunity to vindicate their grievances and legitimate claims through civil courts.

The litigants would be debarred from availing of the Constitutional remedies if one party to a dispute chose to file an application before a permanent Lok Adalat, the statement said.

It further stated that the State Government had the oblique motive of weakening the judicial system by giving an upper hand to executive officers, as the Lok Adalats would be predominantly presided over by retired officials who would enjoy major say in deciding the cases.

The statement vowed that it would take the matter to its logical end by making an all-out effort to prevent the Government from enforcing the anti-litigants law meant to promote the interests of multi-national companies and the private sector.

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