Prayagraj, Oct 28: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday took serious note of slogan-shouting and disruption by advocates inside the court premises, with Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal directing the Registrar (Protocol) to examine CCTV footage from outside his courtroom and identify the lawyers involved, Bar and Bench reported. ANI and Live Law also reported the court's directions the same day.

Source: Bar and Bench

Justice Deshwal was hearing the bail application in Devendra Kumar v. State of UP when advocates were heard raising slogans in the corridor outside his courtroom, protesting the alleged ill-treatment of a lawyer by Justice Ajay Bhanot. The court called the conduct "absolutely contemptuous" and observed that it "amounts to interference in the Court proceedings", adding that "poor litigants come to the High Court for redressal of their grievance" and that advocates "cannot be permitted to raise slogans, shout and disturb the Court proceedings and use such words which is in the nature to intimidate the Court. This is wholly unjustified."

Source: Live Law

Bar and Bench reported that some lawyers allegedly broke furniture and other items inside Court No. 49, presided over by Justice Bhanot; Live Law said that, according to media reports, furniture was hurled inside Justice Bhanot's courtroom. These accounts of damage inside the courtroom are allegations reported by the outlets and have not been established by the court.

The court directed that once the advocates seen in the CCTV footage are identified and a report is submitted, the matter may be referred to the Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh for disciplinary proceedings, and contempt proceedings may also be initiated against those identified, ANI reported. The bail case was adjourned to November 19.

Source: ANI via LatestLY

The protest followed an incident on Tuesday in Justice Bhanot's court. In a letter to Chief Justice Arun Bhansali, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association alleged that Justice Bhanot had ordered an advocate to be sent to jail and made him apologise to a police officer, and had allegedly mocked senior advocate VP Srivastava; the association had threatened to boycott Justice Bhanot's court. These are the Bar Association's allegations, and Justice Bhanot's response to them has not been reported.