Delhi violence: Courts affected as lawyers, litigants could not appear in cases

Violence in northeast Delhi, which claimed 42 lives and left 250 injured, has hit the trial courts in the national capital as litigants and lawyers residing in the area were unable to attend proceedings in their cases.

Lawyers residing at Seelampur, Jaffrabad, Gondha Chowk, Maujpur, Chand Bagh areas had to abstain from work and could not appear in their matters since Monday due to the violence related to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

While some lawyers have been unable to come to courts since Monday, others said they managed to reach their workplace taking longer routes and using public transport instead of their private vehicles.

Litigants from these areas were unable to come to courts as either they were injured in the violence or could not come out of their houses due to the tense situation that has been prevailing in the area since Sunday.

Advocate Manish Bhadauria said he is moving applications before the court seeking exemptions for his clients who are residing in the violence-hit areas.

"I received telephonic messages from two of my clients that due to 'riots' in the area, they are unable to appear come to court. The court has allowed it," he said.

Advocate Vivek Mishra, who resides in Ghonda Chowk, has been unable to come to work since Tuesday as the situation in his area was tense.

While some of the judges were allowing the exemption pleas moved on behalf of the people who were unable to appear before it due to the violence, others were even issuing non-bailable warrants due to non-appearance.

"People are calling us since February 25 and telling us we are scared for our lives. We are scared to come out of our houses," advocate Zakir Raza said.

Matters were also being adjourned as the police in the concerned cases were unable to appear before the court as they were deployed in the violence-hit areas.

Bhadauria said one of his matters was adjourned on Friday as the investigating officer of Delhi Police could not come to court being busy with the violence incidents.

Some of the litigants staying outside Delhi also did not appear before the courts as they feared coming to the national capital due to the tense situation here, said a lawyer.