Karnataka High Court Drops Contempt Proceedings After Davanagere Bar Association Apologizes

BACKGROUND OF THE CASE

• An order was issued in February which had initiated contempt proceedings against the lawyers.
• Considering these incidents, earlier Chief Justice Oka had made an appeal to the Members of all the respective Bar Associations to refrain from acceding and boycotting the Court proceedings, regardless of whatever was their reason for doing so.
• The concerned stakeholders were also warned by the Chief Justice not to get involved in the illegalities.

THE ABSTAINED COURT WORKS

• As per the report submitted, since January 4, 2021, the District Mandya Bar Association had abstained from all the court work.
• A phone call was made on January 4 and February 6, from the Bar Association at Maddur to stop the workings of the court.
• The Bar Association at Srirangapatna, Malavalli and Krishnarajpete abstained from court work on January 4.
• Court work of the Bar Association at Pandavapura was stopped on January 4, 15 and 30.
• The Bar Association at Davanagere had stopped its court work on January 29 and February 8.

OBSERVATIONS MADE BY THE COURT

• While issuing the directions, the Bench took into consideration the report which was submitted by the Registry, mentioning details of Bar Associations in different districts which had called its members for abstaining from court work.
• On Wednesday, the Karnataka High Court dropped the suo moto criminal contempt petition, which was filed against the office bearers of the District Bar Association at Davanagere.
• The Division Bench consisting of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice N S Sanjay Gowda accepted the unconditional apology given by the Bar Association members.
• The Bench got further assurance that no such boycott of court proceedings would be done henceforth.

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