About 52,000 lawyers in West Bengal, who have struck work demanding lower court fees, are defying Tuesday's Supreme Court order banning any strike by the lawyers.

The cease work that entered the 35th day has shut down West Bengal's legal establishment. Work in all of the state's 485 courts has been hit.

Last month, the state government increased court fees by two to five times. The fee for appeals shot up from Rs100 to Rs500 and that for filing writ petitions from Rs107 to Rs224. Probate and succession fees were doubled.

The government then lowered some of the fees, but the striking lawyers, who say the "unprecedented hike" will discourage poor people from seeking judicial redress, were not satisfied with the renewed rates and continued with their cease work.

"We have not seen the Supreme Court judgment, but we can say that our strike will continue till December 20, no matter what," striking lawyers' leader Ashok Deb said.

The state's lawyers will observe a 'black day' on Wednesday along with hundreds of thousands of other lawyers across India.

State Law Minister Nisith Adhikari described the strike as tantamount to contempt of court.