Dances’ at Holi event organised by New Delhi Bar Association ‘inappropriate’: HC

The HC has directed that whenever any District Court Bar Association makes a request seeking permission to use the court premises for any event, the Principal District and Sessions Judge concerned shall take steps to reasonably ensure the event is conducted in accordance with high moral and ethical standards of the legal profession and all laws, rules and regulations are scrupulously followed and that nothing is done which lowers dignity or tarnishes image of the judicial institution and/ or legal profession.

After the video of the incident had gone viral, a letter written by Delhi-based lawyers on March 9 to the New Delhi Bar Association (NDBA) and Bar Council of Delhi stating that the “event of this nature being hosted by a Bar Association is shocking”.

“It is even more appalling that this celebration was held in the premises of Patiala House courts. It is totally inappropriate, sexist, and unbecoming of lawyers to host such an event under the official name of any Bar Association and in premises of a court. As lawyers, we ought to uphold the Constitution and work towards gender equality in the workplace,” read the letter.

Jagdeep Vats, New Delhi Bar Association president, told The Indian Express, “This was a cultural programme… there was no case of harassment in this case. This was a function of lawyers. There was Radha Krishna dance, and Punjabi dance… one western dance was taken out and a big issue was made of it. Our intentions were not to hurt anyone’s emotions. We respect women, they were artistes and should have been seen in that light.”