Lawyers stay away from Calcutta HC for second day citing heat

Lawyers of the Calcutta High Court stayed away from work for the second day today as part of a three-day ceasework citing hot and humid conditions.
Only a miniscule percentage of lawyers came to the court and a few cases were heard as most of them stayed away.
Most of the court rooms wore a deserted look. Though the judges were present, representatives of litigants were missing, thereby delaying the hearing of cases.
"With more than 2.8 lakh cases pending before the high court, the ceasework would only lead to piling up of more cases and increase the harassment of litigants," counsel Rabishankar Chattopadhyay, one of the few lawyers who attended court on both the days, said.

Voicing unhappiness over the lawyers' decision not to attend court for three days till Friday owing to hot weather conditions, Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Joymalyo Bagchi had yesterday said if people in other professions like police sergeants, nurses, lawyers in lower courts and others can work, it should not be so difficult for them.
The chief justice had described the lawyers' decision was irritating and painful.

The High Court Bar Association had on Tuesday taken a majority resolution not to attend court from June 10 to June 13 owing to excessive heat and humidity.
The chief justice had asked the lawyers to attend court in the interest of litigants but the advocates stuck to their decision.

The high court had reopened on June one after a fortnight-long summer break.