Lawyers observe day-long strike in district courts

Judicial work in all six district courts here was today affected with lawyers observing a day-long strike against delay in enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of trial courts despite the recommendation of Delhi High Court.
The work at district courts in Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Rohini, Karkardooma, Saket and Dwarka came to a halt with no lawyer appearing in any matter due to the strike called by the Co-ordination Committee of all district court bar associations of Delhi.
"There was a complete strike in all the district courts. No lawyer appeared in any matter. The strike was completely successful," advocate R K Wadhwa, President of New Delhi Bar Association, said.

Advocate B S Rana, President of Rohini Court Bar Association, also termed the strike as "successful" and said no lawyers participated in court proceedings today.
They said they had a meeting with Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today and he has assured that the issue would be raised in the next Parliament session.
"We met the Law Minister today and he has assured us that the issue would be raised in the upcoming Parliament session. The Minister also assured us that the bill would be passed in the session," Wadhwa said.

The lawyers' body had on September 26 decided to observe a day-long strike today and had urged the Centre to take appropriate steps so that bill for pecuniary jurisdiction may be passed in the coming winter session.

It had said that the decision for enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction from the existing Rs 20 lakh to Rs two crore was taken by the full bench of the High Court through its November 21, 2012 resolution after considering submissions from all concerned bar associations and the same was recommended to the Centre for amending the Delhi High Court Act.
"Yet nothing has been done in this regard for the past nearly two years," it had said, adding that the committee "implores the government to take appropriate steps so that the bill for pecuniary jurisdiction may be got passed in the coming winter session.