The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has urged the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court to direct the police to allow advocates who reside in the NCR to cross Delhi border during the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus.
DHCBA, in a letter to Chief Justice D N Patel, said that a large number of advocates practicing in the high court and district courts here reside in Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad and they are unable to travel to their offices situated in Delhi.
The letter, signed by DHCBA President and senior advocate Mohit Mathur, said those lawyers have no access to their files, records and books as they are lying in their offices in Delhi and many of them do not have the facility of video conferencing or books and commentaries at their residence to effectively participate in the hearings held by the courts.
To assist the courts in the hearings being held during the lockdown period and to enable the litigant public to completely access justice, it is imperative that such advocates are permitted free movement into and out of Delhi upon production of valid identity cards issued by any court annexed bar association of Delhi / the bar council with which the advocates are enrolled, the letter stated.
It said similar facilities have been given to Delhi Police personnel and sought direction to the Delhi Police to take up the matter with their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.