High Court steps in, suspension of two lawyers from association on hold

Following chief justice's intervention, the Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association (GHAA) on Monday decided to keep in abeyance the suspension of two lawyers who had not complied with the March 11 strike call till April 1, when the HC will further hear a PIL on the same matter.

The two lawyers were allegedly abused and assaulted for appearing before the court on March 11 despite a strike call given by the Bar Council of India in protest against alleged police atrocities on lawyers in Jaipur and Chandigadh.

The PIL was moved by Amit Panchal, a Gujarat HC lawyer who has sought directions in the matter as per the law laid down by the Supreme Court in certain cases.

The PIL had cited the incident wherein Jal Unwala alleged he was abused and assaulted by some senior lawyers and office-bearers of GHAA on March 11 for conducting one of his matters despite a call of strike by the association. Unwala had written a letter to the Chief Justice the same day seeking his intervention. Subsequently, GHAA passed a resolution to suspend Unwala and his senior colleague Saurabh Soparkar, who also appeared before the court along with him, from the association.

A division bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice V M Sahai have been hearing the petition.

When the hearing began today, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi requested the court to grant some time to resolve the issue as HC was like a family and "altercation does take place in a family".

The Chief Justice echoed his view and said such issues should be resolved amicably.

To this, Panchal informed the court that the association had suspended the two lawyers and that the action was 'bad in law' and against the principles laid down by the Supreme Court.

... contd.

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