HC lawyers join strike

Lawyers of the Delhi high court on Thursday abstained from attending the court and joined a two-day strike called by the Bar Council of India (BCI) to protest a proposed legislation that could affect its autonomy and allow entry of foreign law institutes and universities in India.

The strike, called for Wednesday and Thursday, is to protest four proposed legislations, including the National Accreditation Regulatory Authority for Higher Educational Institutions Bill, 2010. The strike has paralysed functioning of the high court and six district courts in Delhi, lawyers said.

The high court lawyers had not joined the protest Wednesday, but abstained from work Thursday. Mostly, proxy counsel appeared before the court to get next date of hearing.

“We are not on strike, but are abstaining ourselves from going to court,” Delhi High Court Bar Association president A S  Chandhiok said.