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Litigants suffered as lawyers on Friday struck work in four district courts in New Delhi to protest what they called 'usurping' of the Bar Council's power by the Delhi High Court by barring two advocates -- R K Anand and I U Khan -- from practising for four months.
Litigants had to return dejected as work remained affected in Tis Hazari, Patiala House, Karkardooma and Rohini courts with lawyers either seeking adjournments or keeping away.
"There is a complete strike. All the advocates are abstaining from courts," chairman of co-ordination committee of All Bar Associations of Delhi, Mahesh Sharma told PTI.
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The lawyers, whose matters were listed in the courts, have sought adjournments in support of the strike call, he added.
The Coordination Committee of All Bar Associations of Delhi, a body of lower courts' bar associations, had on Thursday given a call for the one-day strike alleging that the High Court had exceeded its jurisdiction by barring Anand and Khan from appearing in courts for four months.
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The High Court had recommended stripping Anand and Khan of their 'senior advocate' designation, besides slapping a fine of Rs 2,000 each on them, after convicting them for the contempt of court in the BMW hit-and-run case, following a sting operation.
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"The strike is successful as no lawyer is appearing in courts," Santosh Mishra, president of New Delhi Bar Association said.
"The High Court has gone beyond its jurisdiction by debarring both the advocates from appearing in courts as this is the power vested with the Bar Councils under the Advocate Act 1961," said Jatan Singh, Secretary of New Rohini Bar Association.