The Supreme Court on Friday referred the report of Justice BN Srikrishna on the clash between lawyers and police to the Madras High Court, which, it said, could decide on the issue of holding a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The Supreme Court on Friday referred the report of Justice BN Srikrishna on the clash between lawyers and police to the Madras High Court, which, it said, could decide on the issue of holding a judicial inquiry into the incident.
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The apex court said the High Court was already seized of the matter relating to the clash and it will take further decision on the basis of the report.
A bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan said that it will be for the High Court to dwell on the issue of holding a judicial inquiry under the Commission of Inquiry Act.
The preliminary report by retired apex court-judge Justice Srikrishna indicted both the lawyers and the police for the clashes on February 19.
The report said that the provocation came from the advocates, who were on strike, and in retaliation the police used "excess force and exceeded its limits" by entering into the High Court premises and chambers of the advocates.
The report recommended that there should be some guidelines evolved in relation to the behaviour of the advocates. It further said that the acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court had adopted 'soft attitude' towards the lawyers who were on strike and were holding meetings in the corridors of the court complex.
The committee, which was appointed by a Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan, had yesterday submitted the report on the clash between the advocates and police.
Earlier, the lawyers' associations had said that their stir would continue till the apex court-appointed committee submits its report and actions are taken against the police officers responsible for the February 19 clash.
Various lawyers associations from the state conveyed the stand of the members of the Bar to the Bench which had on Friday last asked them to return to work in the interest of the citizens who are facing hardships due to the advocates' strike since January 29.