Majority of lawyers stayed away from proceedings of the Calcutta High Court Friday following a holiday declared by the West Bengal government, provoking a strong reaction from a division bench that included Chief Justice Manjula Chelur.
The lawyers have skipped court proceedings after the state government declared a two-day holiday on account of Holi. While the Bengali speaking population celebrated the festival of colours as Dol on Thursday, the non-Bengali community played Holi Friday.
The bench of Chief Justice Chellur and Justice Joymalya Bagchi made clear its displeasure to Advocate General Jayanta Mitra, saying the attitude of the lawyers would discourage the young from joining the bar.
"What will you get by making litigant unhappy? Client is your god. They give you livelihood," Justice Chellur told the advocate general.
Echoing the chief justice, Justice Bagchi observed it was not a matter of pride for lawyers to stop the court's functioning.
"Most of the youngsters are now embracing the corporate sector. This kind of environment in the high court makes them think twice before they come into this profession," he said.
The chief justice and the Trinamool Congress backed Calcutta High Court Bar Association have not been on the same page regarding holding court proceedings on Friday.
Bar association representatives said they called on the chief justice earlier this week appealing to her to declare a holiday on Friday in tune with the state government's decision.
However, they claim the chief justice put in a rider, saying she would give a holiday if the lawyers agreed to work on March 18, a Saturday, or during the puja or summer vacations. But the lawyers did not agree.
