Delhi district court lawyers to resume work Sept 22, announce Sept 24 protest over challan mechanism

The lawyers bodies, however, have decided to intensify their protest if their concerns are not addressed, with the Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations of Delhi announcing a protest march to the Lieutenant Governors House on September 24.

According to a resolution passed by the Coordination Committee on September 21, the lawyers body has strongly opposed the mechanism under which various executive and departmental officers have been designated for redressal of contested challans. It has called for the mechanism to be withdrawn or reconsidered.

The committee said the adjudication of contested challans should remain within the judicial framework, citing concerns relating to judicial independence, due process and access to justice.

The decision comes amid objections from the district court Bar associations to the transfer of adjudicatory functions concerning contested traffic challans from judicial forums to executive and departmental authorities.

The committee has now resolved that the entire Bar will hold a peaceful protest march to the Lieutenant Governors House on September 24 at 11 am, beginning from Tis Hazari Courts. Lawyers have been asked to assemble at Tis Hazari Courts and participate in the march in a peaceful and disciplined manner.

It has also called for complete abstention from judicial work in all district courts of Delhi on September 24. Lawyers have been asked to assemble at Tis Hazari Courts at 11 am for the protest march.

The Coordination Committee has further said that if the issue is not satisfactorily addressed, it would intensify its democratic and peaceful course of action.

Separately, the New Delhi Bar Association (NDBA), in its circular dated September 21, said that lawyers at Patiala House Courts would resume work on September 22 following Mondays abstention.

The NDBA said there would, however, be a protest march to the Lieutenant Governors House on September 24 if there was no positive outcome on the issue in the next two days. It also thanked the legal fraternity for its support and cooperation in Mondays protest.

The controversy centres on the amended Rule 167 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, under which various executive and departmental officers have been designated to deal with contested challans. The Coordination Committee has objected to the adjudicatory role being assigned to such authorities and has maintained that contested challans should continue to be dealt with within the judicial framework.

The committee has urged lawyers to remain united, peaceful and disciplined while pursuing the issue, stating that its objective is to safeguard the judicial process, access to justice and the interests of the public and legal fraternity.

Thus, while normal judicial work is set to resume across the district courts on September 22, the lawyers protest will continue with a proposed march to the LG House and another day of complete abstention from judicial work on September 24. (ANI)