The Co-ordination Council of All Bar Associations in Delhi started their hunger strike saying that the ten-fold hike in the court fees is "unjustified" as it would severely affect the litigants.
Rajiv Jai, Chairman of the Council and President of New Delhi Bar Association, said lawyers are sitting on hunger strike to demand roll back of the Delhi government's decision to hike court fees.
"We (lawyers) have started the indefinite hunger strike at Patiala House courts and we are demanding a roll back of fee hike. Lawyers from all district courts bar associations are participating in the hunger strike," Jai said.
The lawyers had yesterday abstained from work in all the six district courts at Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Karkardooma, Rohini, Saket and Dwarka, saying the government has notified the Court Fee (Amendment) Act due to which the common people will have to suffer.
The Delhi government had recently decided to increase the court fees tend-fold to shore up its coffers by around Rs 450 crore annually.
Delhi Revenue Minister A K Walia had earlier said that court fees in the city were last hiked in 1958 by the Punjab government which were extended to Delhi and the same have continued till date in the national capital.
