The DHCBA on Tuesday had called for a two-day strike to protest against the proposed tabling of the Delhi High Court (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The tussle between different factions of the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA), which has led to angry scenes between senior Bar members since the election of advocate Rajiv Khosla as president last year, came to a head on Thursday with the association’s executive committee voting to suspend him for “anti-Bar activities”.
The DHCBA on Tuesday had called for a two-day strike to protest against the proposed tabling of the Delhi High Court (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. It has decided to extend the strike by a day.
Khosla supports the Bill, which will clear the way for district courts to hear all civil cases less than Rs 2 crore. He sent an SMS to several lawyers, calling the strike “meaningless” and saying that such strikes brought “disrepute to the DHCBA”.
On Thursday, the committee called for Khosla’s resignation by a majority vote and suspended him. Khosla did not attend the meeting. “Khosla continues to act against the interests of the members, which he was elected to protect,” the resolution passed by the executive committee stated.
Copies of the resolution were put up on notice boards on the HC premises and distributed. The executive committee also issued a showcause notice to Khosla, asking him to give an explanation within seven days.
Defending himself, Khosla said the committee’s decision was “simply a piece of paper”. “I will be here tomorrow. They can’t stop me,” he said.
Khosla said the issue of pecuniary jurisdiction was settled after a full bench of the HC recommended increasing the limit. “The Delhi government and the parliamentary standing committee have approved it. The Rajya Sabha has passed it. Are they saying they are more important than the Rajya Sabha?” he said.
