Nearly 240 allegedly illegal lawyers’ chambers and shops were demolished outside the district court premises in Lucknow following orders from the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court. The demolition drive, carried out by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation with heavy police presence, sparked strong protests from lawyers, leading to clashes with security forces. Bar Association members accused the administration of a brutal lathi-charge on protesting advocates.
Bar Association General Secretary Jitendra Yadav criticized the administration for not allowing lawyers enough time to remove their belongings from the chambers before demolition. He alleged that several advocates were injured during the police action and emphasized that they were protesting against the manner in which the demolition was conducted. According to Yadav, the police used force during the process, resulting in injuries to several lawyers, some of whom sustained fractures.
Yadav clarified that the lawyers were not opposing the High Court’s directions but were objecting to the forceful execution of the demolition. He stressed that while they respect the judiciary, they strongly condemn the administration’s lathi-charge against their members. Yadav highlighted that the advocates were not given the opportunity to retrieve important items like laptops, air-conditioners, furniture, and crucial files from their chambers before the demolition.
