Panjab: Legal fraternity comes in support of protesting farmers

CHANDIGARH: The

legal fraternity

of Punjab has come in support of Bharat Band called by protesting farmers against three farm laws. The

Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana

has already announced it's support and instructions to all the advocates of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to abstain from work on Tuesday.

The Punjab and Haryana high court Bar Association along

Chandigarh district court

Bar association and Debts Recovery Tribunal have also announced that the advocates would abstain from work and will not attend even court hearings via videoconferencing in support of protesting farmers.

Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana has already announced and given instructions to all the advocates in both the states and Chandigarh to abstain from work on December 8 and also stated that these laws are almost against interest of advocates. Chairman

Karanjit Singh

said, "The Bar of civil court jurisdiction in these new Acts is serious challenge to the independence of judiciary. The separation of judiciary and executive is a salient feature of our constitution. Under the new Acts the disputes will be heard by SDM/ADMs who are not trained to hear the litigation involving civil consequences and moreover, they are administrative organ of the Government and would be unable to protect the rights of farmers. The disputes arising out of new enactments will involve commercial matters, contract act agreement and partnership matters which is under the preview of civil courts and therefore, baring the civil court jurisdiction is detrimental to the interest of lawyers and is an effort to undermine the judiciary. Therefore, the Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana request the Union Government to immediately withdraw these new Agriculture Acts."

As far as Chandigarh district court bar association is concerned,it has also supported the Bharat band and announced that advocates will abstain from work and even do chakka jam for some time. Advocate Ravinder Bassi said, "we are with the farmers and we will abstain from work and even we will do chakka jam for sometime. "Earlier the DBA has also send medical aid to the Sindgu Border.

IP Singh, president of tricity consumer courts bar association chandigarh said that all the advocates will abstain from work to show solidarity with the farmers. He further said that priorities are for proper VC hearing of Cases in all the Tricity consumer courts i.e. State Commission UT Chandigarh, Punjab State Commission and Haryana State Commission. Apart from this all the District Consumer Commissions in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. There are two vacancies of Judicial Members lying vacant for the last about two years due to which there is no proper functioning in Punjab State Consumer Commission. Two members have already been selected but no appointment orders have been made by Punjab Government. Apart from this funds are also not being provided for smooth functioning. The building of District Commission is too small and there is a high risk of Corona virus. These issues are being taken up with the authorities. The Bar association has decided to abstain from work on 8/12/2020 to show solidarity with the Farmers.