Patna: Tensions between judges and lawyers at Patna High Court escalated on Friday after bar associations announced a boycott of judicial proceedings, alleging humiliating behaviour by some judges and protesting restrictions on vehicle entry inside the court premises.
Lawyers associated with the High Court are set to abstain from work on Monday, May 11, following a decision taken during an emergency meeting of the Coordination Committee representing the court’s three lawyers’ associations.
Lawyers Allege ‘Humiliating’ Conduct
In a notice issued after the meeting, the Coordination Committee alleged that relations between sections of the bench and the bar had deteriorated in recent times.
The lawyers claimed that certain judges frequently displayed discourteous behaviour during court proceedings and made remarks that undermined the dignity of advocates.
According to the associations, even senior lawyers often felt hesitant appearing before some judges due to what they described as an atmosphere lacking decorum.
The notice also accused some judges of behaving as though they were “omniscient experts” not only in law but in all subjects.
Vehicle Restriction Sparks Anger
The lawyers also expressed strong opposition to a recent High Court order restricting vehicle entry inside the court premises.
Under the directive issued on May 7, barricades were installed near the gates of the court complex, and private vehicles were barred from entering beyond designated points.
The restriction exempts only official High Court vehicles and the vehicle of the Advocate General.
Advocates argued that the move had created serious inconvenience, particularly for elderly and differently abled lawyers.
During the meeting, lawyers said physically disabled advocates would face major difficulties reaching elevators and courtrooms after being forced to disembark outside the premises.
Although the High Court administration arranged battery-operated shuttle vehicles, lawyers claimed many senior and women advocates struggled to board them because of their elevated floor height.
Representatives From All Three Associations Present
The emergency meeting was attended by representatives from all three lawyer bodies functioning within the High Court.
Those present included Yogesh Chandra Verma, Jaishankar Prasad Singh, Satyendra Narayan Singh, Rajiv Kumar Singh, Sanjay Singh and Mukesh Kant.
The High Court administration had not publicly responded to the allegations at the time of reporting.
