Bengal urges court action against striking lawyers

The West Bengal government is hoping for suo-motu court intervention to end the strike by about 52,000 lawyers across the state.

"This strike is illegal. We expect the Calcutta high court to start suo-motu action to end the strike," Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Anil Biswas said.

The lawyers' strike, called to lower court fees, entered its 38th day on Friday ignoring the recent Supreme Court directive declaring all forms of strikes by lawyers as illegal.

"The court can take action in view of the Supreme Court judgment," Biswas said.

Last month, the state government increased court fees by two to five times. The fee for appeals shot up from Rs 100 to Rs 500 and that for filing writ petitions from Rs 107 to Rs 224. Probate and succession fees were doubled.

The government then lowered some of the fees. But the striking lawyers, who say the "unprecedented hike" will discourage poor people from seeking judicial redress, refused the renewed rates and continued with their strike.

State Law Minister Nisith Adhikari said the strike now was tantamount to contempt of court.

Differences were also emerging between the lawyers with one section wanting to call off the strike. On Thursday, rival lawyers fought among themselves in a Kolkata court when some of them tried to join duty.

The strike supporters have said the government was trying to divide the lawyers and Communist cadres were attacking them.

At least 20 lawyers have been injured in these scuffles. A judicial magistrate has also been injured when he was caught in between two fighting lawyers.