Himachal minister meets lawyers sitting on fast-unto-death

Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharmatoday met lawyers sitting on a fast-unto-death since June 28 demanding a High Court bench in Dharamsala.
After talking to them, Sharma said a High Court bench in Dharamsala will definitely help the people of Kangra and surrounding districts and assured to take up the matter with appropriate authorities.
"As the indefinite hunger strike entered the fifth day, the condition of a few lawyers is deteriorating," said Jitender Sharma, spokesperson, Kangra District Bar Association.
Meanwhile, oneof the lawyers, Richa Vashisht of Kangra District Bar Association, was admitted to hospital as her condition deteriorated.
As a daily exercise, the lawyers continued to boycott the court work and took out a rally in the city.

President of the Bar Association Tek Chand Rana said they have not received any assurance from those concerned regarding their demands.

"Neither the High Court nor the government seems to be keen to listen to us," he said, adding that the strike will continue until one of their demands -- abolition of circuit courts in Kangra or setting up a High Court bench in Dharamsala -- was met.
Sharma said six circuit courts were established in Palampur, Baijnath, Indora, Jawali, Nurpur and Dehra in Kangra district.
He said this had affected the livelihood of over 300 lawyers in the district courts of Dharamsala, adding that the basic objective of circuit courts was to deliver justice to the people at their doorsteps.

"If that was the case, then a circuit court of the High Court should also be established at Dharamsala," he added.
"The state government too had written to the High Court in this regard but nothing has been heard on this even though the demand is now 30-year-old," he said.