Bar Association calls 2-day strike over pecuniary jurisdiction issue

Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) on Thursday called for a two-day strike to protest against the passage of bill by Rajya Sabha to increase the pecuniary jurisdiction of the district courts.

Calling for “total abstention from work” on May 8 and May 11 in protest against the decision, DHCBA said, “It was a matter of deep regret” that the bill was passed despite assurance given to the DHCBA Executive Committee by Law Minister DV Sadananda Gowda. “It was a matter of deep regret that despite the solemn assurance given to a delegation of the Executive Committee of the DHCBA by the Union Law Minister himself the said Bill seeking to enhance the original civil pecuniary jurisdiction of the Delhi High Court would be taken up only with the said Commercial Divisions Bill and not in isolation, the said Bill was suddenly taken up and passed by the Rajya Sabha in isolation at the instance of the Law Minister himself,” the DHCBA said in its resolution. 

While the resolution received support of the Executive Committee of DHCBA, the president of the body did not agree with it.

Irrespective of DHCBA president’s dissent, the association circulated its resolution and has also drawn up lists of the proxy counsel who would appear in the matters before each court to seek a next date of hearing. The association’s decision to go on strike came a day after the district court bar associations suspended their 15-day long strike in all six districts courts in the capital on the issue. 

Lawyers of the six district courts in Delhi had called off their strike after the Rajya Sabha passed the Delhi High Court (Amendment) bill to increase pecuniary jurisdiction of the trial courts in New Delhi. The DHCBA and the district court bar associations have been at the loggerheads for several years now over the bill which will reduce workload of the Delhi High Court by transferring thousands of civil suits, valued up to Rs two crore, to the six district courts.