Row over jurisdiction: Bench-Bar on collision course

Lawyers today abstained from appearing in the Delhi High Court protesting a hike in the pecuniary jurisdiction of the court from Rs 20 lakh rpt Rs 20 lakh to Rs 2 crore but judges decided to stand by its Chief Justice D Murugesan on the decision, setting the stage for a Bench-Bar tussle.
Most of the courtrooms at the the high court wore a deserted look as no lawyer was there to argue the cases.
The office bearers of DHCBA manned the entry points of the court premises and asked their colleagues not to appear before the judges.
Hassled litigants appeared before the courts and were seen taking adjournments in their respective matters.

On the other hand, a full court meeting of HC judges took a strong note of the strike call and slammed the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) and its President A S Chandhiok, a senior advocate who is also an Additional Solicitor General, for using allegedly intemperate language in the notice issued against the decision to raise pecuniary limit of trial courts.
"The Full Court further deprecated the tone and tenor of the notice (of DHCBA) and the intemperate language used. It resolved that the false assertions made were unfortunate and unbecoming of the President of the DHCBA who also happens to be a law officer of Union of India.

"The High Court resolved that it stood by the Chief Justice and other judges of the Administrative Committee and reiterated its earlier resolutions on the issue," a press release issued by the Registrar General of the High Court said.