The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) today called off its four-day strike against the passage of a bill by Rajya Sabha to increase the pecuniary jurisdiction of district courts.
The district court lawyers also suspended their protest which has been going on since April 22 over delay in tabling of the Delhi High Court (Amendment) bill first before the Rajya Sabha and then in Lok Sabha.
DHCBA Secretary Advocate Abhijat and advocate Meghna Sankhla, an Executive Committee member, confirmed that the association has decided to call of the strike and that it would be "back to business" in the high court.
Advocate R K Wadhwa, Chairman of Coordination Committee of all district court bar associations, said they have suspended the strike from tomorrow onwards and "future course of action will be taken soon".
DHCBA Executive Committee had on May 7 passed a resolution calling for "total abstention from work" on May 8 and May 11 and thereafter on May 12 and 13, in protest against the passage of the pecuniary jurisdiction bill.
It had said that the bill was passed despite assurance given to them by Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda that it would be taken up with the Commercial Divisions Bill and not in isolation. DHCBA strongly condemned "this abject volte-face by Union Law Minister".
DHCBA and the district court bar associations have been at 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.
If the bill is also passed by Lok Sabha, Delhi High Court would have jurisdiction over suits which are above the value of Rs two crore. The value earlier was Rs 20 lakh.
Consequently, the bill empowers the High Court Chief Justice to transfer any pending suit to a relevant subordinate court.
