Delhi Police issues new circular for physical depositions, Lawyers call off strike

New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): Lawyers of Delhi District courts on Monday withdrew their strike after Delhi police issued a circular directing all police personnel for deposition or evidence physically before the court.
Lawyers were on strike against the LG's notification for the deposition of police personnel through video conferencing from police stations.
The Coordination Committee of the All Delhi Bar Association withdrew the strike after Delhi Police issued the circular.
During a press conference, advocate Surya Prakash Khatri, Chairman of the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), said that the issue has been resolved as assured by Home Minister Amit Shah; "We are withdrawing the strike".

Advocate Nagendra Kumar, Convenor of the Coordination Committee, said that "our demand has been met. We have decided to withdraw the strike. We will be back to our practice from tomorrow. We trust the word of our home minister ".
Advocate Neeraj, President of the Rouse Avenue Court Bar Association, said that there were many rounds of discussion with different leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. After the discussion, the issue has been resolved.
New Delhi Bar Association Secretary Tarun Rana issued a statement and said that a direction has been passed for the physical deposition of police personnel. "Therefore, we have decided to withdraw the strike," the statement added.
On Saturday morning, a letter was issued by the BCI Chairman to recall the upcoming strike/agitation. On Saturday evening, the lawyer's body rejected the request made by the Bar Council of India (BCI) to recall the strike.
"However, we would like to make it crystal clear that the Coordination Committee has raised the agitation to protect the interest of the public at large and will continue with the agitation till our genuine demand is not met with," the coordination committee had said.
The committee had said that its genuine demand that "all the police officials have to appear physically before the court for deposition/ evidence is not acceded to, we shall continue with our call for indefinite abstention from work from September 08, 2025 and the same shall be in a more intensified manner".
The Coordination Committee, on September 4, declared a strike from Monday onwards after a circular issued by the Delhi Police.
This decision was taken after the issuance of a circular by the Delhi Police for deposition of formal police witnesses from police stations.
Lawyers said that the circular was not in line with the final outcome of the meeting and the assurance given by the Union Home Minister on September 2.
Delhi Police, on September 4, issued a circular stating that only formal police witnesses may be permitted to be examined through video conferencing from the designated place for deposition.
"The examination of material police witnesses may continue to be conducted in physical mode, pending further consultations among various stakeholders," the Delhi Police circular said.
Delhi police circular stated that this would ensure that while the objective of expediting proceedings and reducing delays is met, the sanctity and efficacy of the examination of crucial witnesses is also maintained. Further, in the event of any request from the defence counsel for examination of a police witness, in physical mode, the same may be considered by the learned Presiding Judge on merits.
On the other hand, the coordination committee after a meeting had said that a delegation of representatives of Coordination Committee and Bar Council of Delhi had meeting with the Union Home Minister on September 2 and apprised him about the resentment among the lawyers about the notification issued by the LG on August 13, 2025 for deposition of police officials through video conferencing from the police station.
On August 28, the District Court Lawyers had suspended their strike against LG's notification after a meeting of lawyers with the representative of the Government.
The strike was suspended in view of a statement issued from the office of the Commissioner of police saying that operation of the LG's notification would only be carried out after hearing all stakeholders. (ANI)