Criminal lawyers call off strike

SURAT, June 8: In a significant move, president of the Surat District Bar Association Ashit Mehta called off the criminal advocates’ strike in support of the construction of speed-breakers opposite the court building at Athwa Lines. The decision was taken after city Police Commissioner Maniram and the Surat Municipal Commissioner S Jagadeesan gave verbal assurances that the speed breakers would be erected at the spot “in a short time”.

The decision to call off the strike was taken immediately after a meeting of advocates broke up, with a number of them adamant on continuing the strike.Mehta, however, told Express Newsline, “We should give the authorities some time as they have promised to put up speed breakers there.’

He added that the meeting had to be called off since it did not appear there could be any consensus on the issue.

As it is, the lawyers had decided to continue their strike until Sunday and take an appropriate decision later on the course of action. According to a senior advocate, most of the lawyers had become lethargic and lazy and were using the strike as a pretext to escape work. The lawyers went on an indefinite strike, demanding speedbreakers at the spot, after a woman advocate was killed by a speeding truck last month.