Bombay HC disposes of plea against lawyers strike to be held on Friday

The Bombay High Court has asked the advocates to abide by the law and hoped that wisdom will prevail on them, while disposing of a petition filed by an advocate seeking directions to Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, for withdrawing the call for a token, one-day strike to be held on Friday, in protest to the amendments to the Advocates Act, proposed by the Law Commission of India.

The high court disposed off the petition filed by Advocate Manoj Shirsat who had said that the call for abstaining from a day’s work was premature as the recommendations made by the Law Commission were yet to be approved by the cabinet.

As per a circular issued earlier in the week by Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa has asked its members to abstain from work on Friday. This is to protest against the proposed amendments which are undemocratic and anti-lawyers. However, in court the Council said that it only an appeal and no resolution was passed for going on strike. However, Advocates Association of Western India, has passed a resolution in support to the call made by Bar Council and would be abstaining from work.

The petitioner argued before the court about Supreme Court judgment restraining advocates from going on strike and hampering judicial work. The court after taking all the arguments on record disposed off the petition.