HC lawyers observe strike to protest non-appointment of judges

Ahmedabad, Feb 1 (PTI) Members of the Gujarat High CourtAdvocates'' Association (GHAA) today observed a strikeprotesting the non-appointment of judges.

Advocates associated with GHAA abstained from work sincemorning and did not enter the High Court premises. Some of thelawyers who wanted to enter the premises were asked not to goinside.

GHAA president Yatin Oza said that the strike wasobserved to highlight the injustice being done to Gujarat.

The High Court here is functioning with only 23 judges,which is just half the sanctioned strength of 42 judges, hesaid.

Oza said it had been 21 months since they had first maderepresentation to the Union government on the matter ofnon-appointment of judges.

The Central government sat on the request for 18 monthsand then sent it to the President, who has also not taken anydecision on it, he added.

GHAA plans to continue the strike tomorrow and isexpecting other district and lower court advocates to jointhem in the protest, Oza said, adding that they plan to file awrit petition in Supreme Court against the non-appointment ofjudges in the Gujarat High Court soon.

Members of the Association had earlier abstained fromcourt work on December 7, 2010.