The bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia today directed more than 2500 lawyers to approach the Madhya Pradesh High Court against the contempt notices issued against them for nonappearance during court hearings when the Madhya Pradesh Bar Council had called out a strike.

By a direction, the chief justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court had directed the court to dispose of 25 oldest cases in every quarter. Dissatisfied by this order, the state bar council called out a strike.

It was contended by Vikas Upadhyay advocate appearing for advocate Varun Thakur who had urged that contempt notices have been issued against those lawyers also who could not approach the court since the strike had been called out by the bar council. The lawyers who genuinely could not approach the court shall not be faced with such notices.

The advocate also argued that the contempt notice may remain as against the office bearers of the bar council but the innocent lawyers shall not be subjected to face the contempt notices.

The advocate also argued that the advocates are facing the issue of their empanelment in different departments since the contempt petitions are pending against them. There are more than 2500 such lawyers across the state of Madhya Pradesh. The number would be much more then.

After hearing the arguments, the bench observed that action has been taken on the administrative side and most of the issue is settled. So far as the contempt petition is concerned same is standing, we would request the high court to consider the issue of the advocates who genuinely could not attend the court. The Supreme Court granted liberty to the petitioners to approach the high court for the relief.

Advocate Achal Singh Bule, told the TLA Network that by the impugned order, the bench of Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh Ravi Malimath and Vishal Mishra on 24.03.2023 had directed the registrar of the high court to communicate the contempt notice to all the advocate who were absent from the 3 benches of the high court I.e. Jabalpur Gwalior and Indore.