Jharkhand Bar Council extends lawyers' strike till January 13

The lawyers are on strike since January 6 to protest against a hike in court fees after the State government passed the Court Fees Amendment Bill in the Assembly in 2022.

The Jharkhand State Bar Council on January 11 announced that the ongoing strike called by lawyers will continue till January 13.

The lawyers are on strike since January 6 to protest against a hike in court fees after the State government passed the Court Fees Amendment Bill in the Assembly in 2022. The decision to continue the agitation was taken at a meeting of the Jharkhand State Bar Council on Tuesday night.

“If the Bar Council receives any communication from the government regarding the fulfilment of the demands, it will immediately withdraw the agitation,” the Council said in a communication to the affiliated associations.

"During the agitation, an exception is granted to the lawyers to comply with the directives of the Supreme Court, and High Courts for filing bail bond and other related matters in which personal liberty is involved," the communication said.

A section of lawyers had met Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on January 7 over the court fee hike. As many as 500 advocates were present at the residence of the Chief Minister where he had assured them that his government will review the provisions of the Advocates Protection Act and do a comparative study with other States.

The State government had last year hiked court fees by passing the Court Fees Amendment Bill in the Assembly. Mr. Soren had said the increase in court fees was not directly concerned with the welfare of lawyers but the government will look into the matter and review it.