Amid protests, Allahabad High Court tells young lawyers to focus on career, not social media likes

The Allahabad High Court on Friday observed that young lawyers should focus on building their careers rather than generating likes on social media [Rajesh v State of UP]

Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal made the observation while commenting on certain media posts of lawyers regarding the functioning of the High Court. The Court said incomplete and twisted information may lead to unnecessary differences between the bar and the bench.

"Young advocates should concentrate on their studies as well as on preparing their cases to build their careers instead of concentrating on increasing their social media likes. Young advocates are the future of the High Court. Most of the Judges as well as senior advocates of this Court are trying their best to create a good atmosphere for the future of young lawyers, who in future will become senior advocates as well as Judges of this High Court," the Court said.

The Court made the comments in the context of advocates' ongoing protest against alleged ill-treatment of a lawyer by Justice Ajay Bhanot earlier this week.

The issue stemmed from an incident in Justice Bhanot's court when he made a lawyer apologise to a Superintendent of Police (SP) for objecting to the officer sitting in a seat usually reserved for lawyers.

The lawyer had asked the SP to move further back.

The bar association said that a separate chair was being placed in Justice Bhanot's courtroom for police officers and other high-ranking officials. The bar body alleged that the judge threatened to jail the lawyer and also ridiculed another senior counsel.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the association warned that its members would boycott Justice Bhanot's court if no action is taken. Though there was no formal call for boycotting the judge, lawyers on Wednesday vandalised his courtroom.

Justice Deshwal, whose courtroom is near Justice Bhanot's courtroom, has been unable to hear cases since Wednesday due to the protest by lawyers. The judge on Wednesday asked Registrar (Protocol) to check the CCTV footage of the particular area outside its courtroom and identify the advocates involved in sloganeering so that disciplinary and contempt of court proceedings can be initiated against them.

On Friday, the Court adjourned various matters after some advocates stopped other lawyers from entering the courtroom. Even the government advocate was forcibly prevented by a few advocates from sitting in the courtroom.

During the hearing of a bail application, the Court heard cries of a lady advocate who wanted to enter the courtroom to attend her case. In the order, the judge recorded that she was harassed and forcibly stopped from entering the courtroom.

"Such conduct on the part of some advocates is not conducive to the reputation and dignity of the Bar as well as the Court," the bench said.

The Court observed that judicial proceedings cannot be allowed to be stalled merely because a section of advocates does not want the Court to function, although the majority of advocates want to argue their cases.

It added that advocates of the High Court command respect in society only because the public has trust in the High Court.

Therefore, it impressed upon lawyers to work towards maintaining the dignity of the High Court.

"This Court is also of the view that it is not only the duty of the Judges but also of the advocates to maintain the dignity of the High Court so that public trust in the High Court may remain. If public trust in the High Court gets eroded, then mafias and certain unruly public officials will start harassing advocates, as recently happened in certain districts, which was also highlighted in several newspapers," the bench added.

The Court further said that dignity of advocates includes the dignity of private advocates as well as government advocates.

It reiterated its request to the High Court Bar Association to look into the issues and take appropriate steps to maintain the dignity of the High Court at a high pedestal.

[Read Order]