Delhi Lawyers Defy Bar Council, Proceed with Strike Over Remote Evidence Concerns

Delhi’s legal community is set to strike starting September 8th, despite the Bar Council of India’s appeal to withdraw their action. The decision was made at a meeting of Delhi’s district bar associations, where it was decided that the strike would proceed as planned. The central issue is the practice of police presenting evidence in court online from police stations. The lawyers are strongly against this method and demand that police officers appear in person to give testimony. Their stance remains firm despite the Bar Council’s plea. The lawyers maintain that their actions are in the interest of the public, aiming to ensure that cases are handled fairly and independently. They have vowed to continue their strike indefinitely from September 8th if their demands are not met. The New Delhi Bar Association (NDBA) highlighted that the Bar Council of India’s chairman had written to the leaders of Delhi’s bar associations, requesting the withdrawal of the movement. The NDBA clarified that their main objective is to safeguard the public’s interests and they will continue the strike until their demands are met. The core demand is that police officers must be present in court when giving testimony and presenting evidence. Previously, a similar strike took place on August 22nd concerning the same issue, and was withdrawn after discussions with the Union Home Minister’s representative. This earlier action was prompted by a notification from Delhi’s LG, which permitted police officers to give testimony through audio and video links from police stations. The lawyers view this as an unfavorable measure. The lawyers had met with the Union Home Minister who reportedly offered assurances. However, the lawyers claim that a subsequent circular from the Police Commissioner’s office did not uphold these assurances, leading them to resume their strike.