Iron out differences, HC tells police and lawyers

A day after the unprecedented stir by Delhi police personnel and their family members in the wake of attack on them, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought to assuage the frayed tempers by asking the police and the lawyers to sort out their differences amicably, saying as the preserver and the protector of law, both have to work in harmony and close proximity for the Rule of Law to prevail.

Expressing its anguish over turn of events, the court advised for holding a joint meeting of representatives of advocates and the police establishment to iron out the differences, even as lawyers abstention from work in district courts entered third day here.

On a plea by the Union Home Ministry and Delhi police, the court clarified that its November 3 order that had restrained any coercive action against the accused advocates in the lawyers-police clash at Tis Hazari court complex was confined to the incidents of arson and assault that had taken place on Saturday.

Maintaining that police and lawyers of two faces of coin of justice, a bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and C Hari Shankar said the judicial inquiry ordered by it on November 3 would be conducted on the basis of evidence without being influenced its observations which were prima facie and tentative in nature. The HC’s order came as a relief to the Delhi police, whose personnel resorted to stir venting their grievance.

In high court, Delhi police sought review of the order in view of subsequent incidents of violence including assault on a policeman and others outside Saket court complex, triggering massive protests.