The lawyers in national Capital abstained from work for the fourth consecutive day, protesting against the clash with police at Tis Hazari court on November 2. Lawyers of all six district courts, Tis Hazari, Saket, Karkardooma, Rohini, Patiala House and Dwarka, held peaceful protests and allowed litigants and police to go inside the court premises. Litigants were welcomed with flowers by lawyers at the entrance of Saket district court complex to allay apprehensions.
"On Thursday, litigants have been allowed to attend their matters in courtrooms and proxy counsel are also appearing to take dates in cases," advocate DS Kasana, General Secretary of Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations, said.
"We have also arranged lunch for around 1,000 people including lawyers and clients. We are protesting peacefully. The private guards of the Bar are taking care of the security today," said Kasana.
RK Wadhwa, chairman of New Delhi Bar Association, said litigants have been allowed inside and proxy counsels are appearing at Patiala House court and lawyers have not stopped the police from entering the court's premises and do their duty.
Jaiveer Singh Chauhan, secretary of Delhi Bar Association at Tis Hazari court, said "lawyers are doing the security checks of the people entering the court.
All are welcome. Situation is peaceful here." Advocate Sanjeev Kumar Ojha, who was part of the protest at Rohini court, said litigants were visiting but they were few in number.
Meanwhile, on Thursday a plea was also filed in the Delhi High Court seeking action against police officials who were agitating in public and sitting on 'dharna' after their November 2 clash with lawyers at the Tis Hazari Courts Complex.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which also sought action against police officials who had issued statements on social media when the matter is already sub judice, has been listed for hearing on Friday.
The petition filed by lawyer Rakesh Kumar Lakra has arrayed as parties the Union of India, the Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police in Arunachal Pradesh, Madhur Verma, Aslam Khan the former DCP North west, Superintendent of Police (SP) of NIA Sanjukta Prashar and Meghna Yadav, posted with National Police Academy Hyderbad..
The plea sought direction to the Centre to initiate departmental inquiry against the Delhi Police officials who were sitting on 'dharna' and making provocative slogans and issuing inciting statements on electronic and social media.
It alleged that the police officials were protesting and agitating in public, which was in contravention of their official duties.
The plea claimed that it was a failure on the part of Delhi Police Commissioner for not taking action against Aslam Khan who has been giving statement on social on micro blogging site twitter when the matter is sub-judice in the high court.
It said it was a failure on the part of Madhur Verma, Aslam Khan, Meghna Yadav and Sanjukta Prashar in making provocative statement in public through social media and sought disciplinary action, including their dismissal, for allegedly violating provisions of the Delhi Police Act and Central Civil Services Conduct Rules.
Thousands of police personnel protested outside the Police Headquarters on Tuesday to demand action against those involved in an attack on their colleague outside the Saket court, the unprecedented scenes of police protest leading their chief Amulya Patnaik urging them to resume duty.
The incidents drew sharp criticism from senior police officials who took to twitter to register their discontent. "I am sorry...We are police...We don't exist...We don't have families...We don't have human rights!!!" said former Delhi Police PRO Verma, currently posted as Arunachal Pradesh's DIG.
He was joined by former Delhi DCP Khan, now posted with the Centre in Goa, who posted the attack video with a caption, "Khakhi going down to the worse".