Litigants in pending case can’t take to streets: HC

Kolkata: Litigants in a matter pending before court could not simultaneously take to the streets, Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam said on Monday following a ruckus in front of lawyers' chambers on Friday afternoon.
The protest was staged by some work education and physical education candidates in the 2016 SSC panel in relation to a case pending before Justice Biswajit Basu's bench.

Members of the bar told the division bench of the CJ and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee (Das): "We are scared. This took place in the vicinity of Calcutta HC, which comes under Section 144. What were police doing?" The HC directed two petitioners, seeking the court's intervention into the ruckus in front of lawyers' chambers at 6, Old Post Office Street, to serve notice on the advocate-general office and the secretary of the three wings of the bar and place the petitions before the bench for orders.
Lawyers said some persons—some party to a case pending adjudication in the court of Justice Biswajit Basu—caused a ruckus over four hours. They reportedly stamped on Justice Basu's photos and abused lawyers. "It is an onslaught on the independence of the judiciary. The bench and the bar are being targeted," a lawyer said. Lawyers claimed cops on the HC premises stood as "mute spectators".
The CJ said about 7.15 pm on Friday, lawyer Bikram Banerjee narrated the incident at the chambers of the officer on special duty. "The AG went with police and got the place cleared. He told me at 8.15 pm," he said.