Delhi lawyers call off strike after police blink on virtual deposition row

The new circular issued by the office of the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Devesh Chandra Srivastava, read, “In partial modification of the earlier letter… dated 04.09.2025, it is hereby directed that in all criminal trials, all police officers/personnel shall physically appear before the Hon’ble Courts for the purpose of deposition/evidence. This has the approval of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.”

Last month, the Coordination Committee of all District Court Bar Associations — which represents all lawyers in the Capital — had been on strike for six days. They were opposing a notification issued by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on August 13, which allowed the police to record evidence from police stations via video conferencing.

On August 28, they called off their strike after the police chief’s office issued a statement saying that “the Union Home Minister would meet representatives of the Bar to discuss the issue with an open mind”. “In the meantime, the operation of the said notification on the ground would only be carried out after hearing all stakeholders,” it had added.

Issuing a new circular on September 4, the Police Commissioner’s office had stated that as per a Delhi High Court notification dated August 4, “designated places for recording of evidence” include prisons, forensic departments, prosecution offices, and police stations.

This didn’t go down well with the legal fraternity, which said the communication was “contrary to the assurance given by the Union Home Minister”.

The Coordination Committee then issued a circular of its own. It stated, “There shall be complete indefinite abstention from work in all district courts of Delhi from Monday, i.e., 08.09.2025. The agitation against the arbitrary and illegal notification, which is not only against the concept of free and fair trial but is anti-public and curtails the right of an accused”, will be intensified.

Following Monday’s circular, a communication from Tarun Rana, Secretary of the New Delhi Bar Association, said: “Since a circular has been issued from the office of commissioner of police… the coordination committee in its meeting held today has resolved that since our demand for direction of police officials to appear physically in courts has been met with, call for abstinence from work is being withdrawn.”

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