Calcutta HC lawyers to resume work from today

Kolkata, April 29 (PTI): Lawyers at the Calcutta High Courtare set to resume work from tomorrow after a gap of 70 days, as their demand for appointment of judges has been met partially. The lawyers were on a ceasework strike over the demand. This was the longest ceasework by lawyers in the history of the high court, surpassing the previous ceasework, which lasted for two months in 2002 in protest against the hike in stamp duty by the West Bengal government. The ministry has also notified the appointment of Justice Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya, who was the acting chief justice, as the chief justice of the high court, Bar Association president Uttam Majumdar said. The high court was headed by acting chief justices for more than three years now with the exception of only three months, he said. A large number of cases are likely to be filed before the high court from tomorrow, where very few petitions have been registered during the ceasework. Bail applications, appeals against trial court orders, apart from several other petitions are likely to be filed this week following resumption of professional work by the advocates. A total of 2,23,921 cases were pending before the high court at the end of March this year, according to the official data. It had only 30 judges when the agitation commenced and three new judges took oath on March 12, raising the strength of sitting judges to 33. The Bar Association, which had on April 26 extended the ceasework till May 11 with the rider that the agitation would stand withdrawn automatically if new appointments to the judiciary are made in the meantime, called off the agitation following the notification.