Punjab lawyers call strike today on PPSC stink

The HC Bar Association’s special general house meeting today called on advocates to intensify their ‘‘movement’’ against the alleged corruption in judiciary. The lawyers resolved to stay away from work tomorrow in protest against Chief Justice Arun B. Saharya’s alleged inaction. The Chief Justice, however, has already started an inquiry into allegations against three HC judges.

The advocates have decided to take out a rally that would hand over memoranda to the Governors of Punjab and Haryana on May 28 and observe a token strike in both states and Chandigarh. The presidents of the district Bar associations of Patiala, Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Chandigarh joined the Bar members at today’s meeting.

Things came to a head at the meeting after Advocate H.S. Gill named Justice Amar Bir Singh Gill, Justice R.L. Anand and Justice M.L. Singhal of Punjab and Haryana High Court, besides Justice R.S. Mongia, Gauhati HC Chief Justice, and demanded action against them for their alleged links with the PPSC scam.

‘‘We are fighting for the Constitution’s prestige. We are not at the mercy of sitting judges,’’ H.S. Gill said. The Bar, he said, should move the country’s President over the issue. Member I.S. Bulhara said the vigilance Bureau should be pulled up for manipulating with 31 names which had earlier surfaced in a statement of a witness, recorded under CrPC Section 161, and other investigations.

Rupinder Khosla said the judiciary was facing its biggest crisis and he had expected the HC Chief Justice to act. ‘‘Nothing of that sort has happened,’’ he said.

According to Navkiran Singh, names of the accused were disappearing during inquiry into the PPSC Scam. The CBI should investigate the matter, he said.

Advocate H.S. Nagra demanded that Vigilance Bureau Chief Director A.P.Pandey be immediately transferred so that a fair inquiry could be conducted into the PPSC scam.