Kolkata:
The West Bengal Bar Council on Tuesday extended till May 24 its ongoing ceasework to protest alleged excesses by police in controlling a clash between advocates and civic employees in Howrah.
Bar Council Vice Chairman Siddhartha Mukhopadhyay said it is hoping that an order will be passed by the Calcutta High Court, which initiated a suo motu case in this regard, soon.
“We will take a decision with regard to continuance of the ceasework after the high court delivers its order on the matter,” Mukhopadhyay said.
He said the council decided to extend the ceasework during a meeting of its executive on Tuesday.
A division bench comprising Justice B Somadder and Justice Arindam Mukherjee on Monday concluded hearing of the case, initiated by Chief Justice T B N Radhakrishnan regarding the clash that occurred on April 24.
Several persons, including lawyers, were injured in the incident when police allegedly entered the Howrah court premises, without obtaining requisite permission of the chief judge of the district court, and resorted to baton charge to control the mob.
Lawyers of the Howrah district court and the staff of Howrah Municipal Corporation, located opposite to each other, had allegedly clashed over issues relating to parking of vehicles on April 24.
Following the incident, the Bar Council asked all associations, representing lawyers at different courts in the state, to observe ceasework.
The council has been extending the ceasework ever since it began on April 26, demanding action against the police personnel involved.
Litigants are suffering due to the stalemate in the courts, including the high court, for over three weeks now.
There were 228,460 cases pending before the Calcutta High Court as on March 31, 2019, according to information available on its website.
Lakhs of cases are also due for clearance before the district and sub-divisional courts in the state.
