Govt reinstates panel of lawyers in SC, HC scrapped by Baijal

The Delhi Government on Thursday reinstated its panels of lawyers in the Supreme Court and High Court that were scrapped by Lieutenant Governor (L-G)Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said here, days after the apex court clipped the power of the L-G.

 “LG had cancelled Del govt's panels of advocates in HC and SC due to which Del govt's cases in these courts were suffering. Today, Del govt restored both panels (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.

 The panel for the High Court included prominent lawyers like Indira Jaising, Rebecca Mammen John, Colin Gonsalves, among others.

 A Government official said that the fees of lawyers' were stuck after the panels were scrapped and the payments will be released now. According to the official, Delhi Law Minister Kailash Gahlot on Thursdday restored the lawyers' panels, which were “wrongly” set aside by Baijal.

 Citing alleged procedural lapses, LG had in May declared as “invalid” the panel of fourteen lawyers appointed by the Delhi Government for appearance in cases before Delhi High Court.

In a written communication to Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash, L-G's Principal Secretary Vijay Kumar had said that the orders regarding the panel of lawyers had allegedly been issued without obtaining the approval of the Lt Governor.