Lawyers in MP protest after Shivpuri murder:Seek Advocates Protection Act through memorandum; give 15 days’ deadline, warn of strike

Lawyers in Madhya Pradesh are abstaining from court work today, Monday. On February 14, Advocate Sanjay Kumar Saxena was shot dead in broad daylight in Shivpuri district. The incident occurred when the advocate was going to court in uniform. Enraged by this, lawyers have decided to observe a protest day. This decision was taken on Sunday at a meeting of the Madhya Pradesh State Bar Council. Earlier, the MP High Court Bar Association, District Bar, and High Court Advocates Bar had also jointly decided not to appear in court on Monday. Radhelal Gupta, Chairman of the MP State Bar Council, said that in view of the continuous attacks on advocates, a decisive battle will now be fought to implement the Advocates Protection Act. An online meeting of all members was held on Sunday afternoon, in which the decision to observe a protest day on Monday was taken unanimously. High Court Bar Association Secretary Paritosh Trivedi says that the state government has been dangling the Advocates Protection Act like a rattle for years. He said that if the government does not consider their demand within 15 days, then 1 lakh 62 thousand lawyers across the state will not plead in court, engaging in an indefinite fierce agitation. 7-Day Ultimatum, Then Chief Minister’s Residence Gherao It was also decided in the meeting that a 7-day ultimatum would be given to the state government. During this period, advocates at the collector and tehsil level will submit memorandums to the Prime Minister and Chief Minister through the Tehsildar. If the government still does not take concrete steps, then under the leadership of the Council, about 1.25 lakh advocates from the state will go to Bhopal and gherao the Chief Minister’s residence. At the end of the meeting, tribute was also paid to the deceased advocate. Demand for One Crore Compensation and a Government Job Before the State Bar Council meeting on Sunday, a joint meeting was held by Madhya Pradesh High Court Bar Association President DK Jain, Secretary Paritosh Trivedi, District Bar President Manish Mishra, Secretary Gyan Prakash Tripathi, and High Court Advocates Bar Secretary Nikhil Tiwari. It was decided in the meeting that the government would be demanded to provide one crore rupees in compensation to Sanjay Kumar Saxena’s family, a government job to one dependent, and strict action against the accused. Emphasis was also placed on the speedy implementation of the Advocates Protection Act. Letter to Chief Justice, urging not to dismiss cases All three bar associations have informed the Chief Justice of the MP High Court about the protest day to be observed on Monday through a letter. The letter requests that cases not be dismissed in the absence of lawyers. On Monday at 12:30 PM, lawyers will submit a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister to the District Collector. Advocates Protection Act pending for years MP High Court Bar Association President DK Jain said that the demand for implementing the Advocates Protection Act for the safety of lawyers has been pending for many years. The government had also assured them by organising a ‘Maha-Panchayat’ (grand assembly) of lawyers in Bhopal, but no concrete results have emerged so far.