250 Thane lawyers join strike

Meanwhile, Arun Chambers wore a deserted look for the second consecutive day today.There were only a few litigants and fewer lawyers on the premises. The building was witness to a similar strike in June this year by Labour Law Practitioners Association (LLPA) following the collapse of a part of a ceiling in one of the courtrooms. The agitation was withdrawn after the state government assured that the courts would be shifted to Bandra by August 15. However, no action was taken after that.

According to the LLPA general secretary, Mukund Jambaulikar, while all the court rooms on the third floor of Arun Chambers have been shut since the collapse, two court rooms on the sixth floor have also been closed. He said this has forced judges to hold court in their chambers where there is never enough space. As a result, lawyers and litigants often miss important hearings.

Jambaulikar told Express Newsline that the courts occupy an area of 26,000 square feet in Arun Chambers, while the area allotted in the new premises in Bandra is just 24,000 square feet. Also, there is no provision for alibrary and a ladies room.

Though the architects of the Public Works Department after surveying the new premises have written to the president of the Industrial Court that it was not possible to accommodate all the courts in two floors that the Bandra office would have, the lawyers are willing to make do with less space provided they were shifted with immediate effect.

Jambaulikar said that Minister of State for Labour Raj Purohit had visited the court premises earlier this month and accepted all their demands. He said the minister promised to help but has done nothing so far. “So far we have only decided to abstain from the proceedings but we may decide to intensify the stir soon,” he added.