GUWAHATI, Aug 13 - Members of the legal fraternity today staged a symbolic demonstration across Assam demanding regular functioning of the physical courts in the State under the Gauhati High Court.
The demonstration, initiated by the Bar Council of Assam and the All Assam Lawyers� Association (AALA), was supported by most of the bar associations of Assam.
Considering the plight of lawyers and other persons associated with the day-to-day functioning of the courts due to the COVID-19 lockdown, a memorandum was also submitted by the AALA and the Bar Council to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India requesting him to give directions for physical functioning of courts under the jurisdiction of the Gauhati High Court. The memorandum, submitted through the District Judge, Kamrup (Metro), also called for reopening of the bar rooms and offices of bar associations.
Similar memorandums were submitted by the 51 bar associations across the State through district judges and sub-divisional judicial magistrates.
The memorandum to the SC stressed the fact that the continued complete closure of the physical functioning of the courts under the Gauhati High Court had been taken unilaterally without taking into confidence all stakeholders in the dispensation of justice, including the bar.
It further stated that the proceedings of the High Court are now being conducted only through video conference, mostly using the local area network.
�Only an insignificant number of cases are being taken up by the court through video conference over the internet. The situation in subordinate courts is even worse, as they are not so well equipped,� it further added.
The lawyers also pointed out the financial crisis being faced by most of the lawyers in the bars of the court as they are dependent on regular cases for their financial upkeep, said AALA president Devid Ledger and general secretary Dipak Kumar Das.
