The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Lawyers suspend court boycott

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Saturday, Jul 19, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Lawyers suspend court boycott

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The indefinite boycott of legal proceedings launched by members of the Thiruvananthapuram Bar Association (TBA) from Monday, demanding the setting up of a High Court Bench in the capital city, has been “temporarily suspended,” after a general body meeting here on Friday.

The decision marks the end of a crucial phase in the five-month-long agitation conducted by the association members along with advocates, clerks, representatives of political parties and residents’ associations.

C.K. Sitaram, president of the association said that the decision was taken following an assurance from political leaders that a delegation led by the Chief Minister would visit Delhi and meet the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice highlighting the issue.

Differences over the boycott had cropped up within the legal fraternity over the last couple of days with some senior lawyers expressing their reservation. The differences even lead to a scuffle on the court premises on Thursday when an advocate owing allegiance to a Left wing organisation appeared at the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, disregarding the boycott call. Some mediapersons who were present to cover the proceedings were injured in the scuffle.

Besides posing hardships to the litigants, the boycott had also created a dent in the monetary incentives earned by lawyers from litigants, leading to resentment.

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