Lawyer vs Lawyer in New Delhi: What’s the buzz in Delhi’s courtrooms?

As the lawyers go head to head, The Indian Express spoke to Delhi’s advocates and lawyers to gauge what their predictions and issues are for this election.

“I met Bharti ji for the first time during the India Against Corruption campaign,” said advocate Rishikesh Kumar, who said he worked closely with Bharti for over a decade. He had first approached Bharti seeking help to file a complaint in the Commonwealth Games “scam”.

Advocate Dilip Kumar was among 500 lawyers who were part of a meeting held earlier this month by the BJP’s legal cell. “I think Bansuri ji will easily win this election,” he said, adding that BJP would comfortably win at the Centre. On May 17, hundreds of lawyers declared their backing for the BJP in the meeting in which Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva were present.

The Indian Express also visited multiple court complexes in Delhi to ascertain the mood of lawyers — which was mixed.

Sitting outside the Central Hall of the Patiala House Court complex, Advocate JS Malik, who had been practising law for almost three decades, said, “Free and fair elections are not happening.”

He was referring to the latest bill which seeks to remove the CJI and replace him with a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM from a panel which selects Election Commissioners.

Another lawyer came and sat next to him seeking advice regarding a case he was involved in. Advocate HM Mukherjee, a denizen of Mayur Vihar who had been in the profession for 16 years, was profusely sweating courtesy the 40 degrees temperature.

As he adjusted his spectacles, Mukherjee also started speaking on the elections. “I think Bansuri Swaraj will win… but it will be a tough fight,” he said.

Advocate Rahul Rai, from South Delhi, also spoke to The Indian Express: “People in Delhi are not confused at this point. Earlier, they were confused on whether to vote for AAP or Congress. The INDIA bloc will benefit from this. A triple contest could’ve confused the voters.”

Advocate KK Sharma, who practices in Delhi’s High Court, said anti-incumbency might play a role in this election. “The country has seen BJP’s rule for 10 years. Human nature is inclined towards change,” he said.

Citing his support for AAP, Advocate Hemant Baisla, who practises in the HC, spoke of lawyer-centric schemes introduced by the AAP Delhi government — an insurance scheme for advocates with coverage up to Rs 10 lakh; 200 free electricity units in lawyers’ chambers; an AC bus service catering to advocates which operates between the Supreme Court, HC, and Patiala House Court from 7 am to 11 pm.

New Delhi Bar Association President Jagdeep Vats highlighted the importance of lawyers becoming MPs: “One Bar Council member from each state must have a seat reserved (as an MP).”

While he did not support any party and had no predictions for who was going to win in New Delhi, he spoke about what the elected candidate should do for lawyers. According to him, a provision of stipends for new lawyers is a must. “First-generation lawyers find it difficult to survive in the profession in their initial years,” he said.