ongoing agitation by lawyers in Delhi

Committee and representatives of the Bar Council of Delhi,” the statement read.

On August 20, 2025, the ongoing agitation by lawyers in Delhi against the August 13 notification of the Lieutenant Governor was suspended after Union Home Minister Amit Shah agreed to meet Bar representatives to resolve their concerns.

The controversial notification, issued by the Delhi government on August 13, had designated all police stations in the capital as places for police personnel to present evidence and depose before courts through video conferencing. Lawyers had termed the move a “Kala Kanoon,” arguing that it diluted open court principles, undermined fair trial rights, and disproportionately empowered the police.

The Coordination Committee of All District Courts Bar Associations had submitted representations to both the Delhi Chief Minister and the Lieutenant Governor earlier that month, objecting to the measure. They maintained that forcing virtual depositions from police stations would erode transparency and restrict meaningful cross-examination.

Lawyers across Delhi district courts abstained from work as they protested against the Lieutenant Governor’s notification. The legal fraternity had called the notification illegal, arbitrary, and against the basic tenets of a fair trial.

On September 3, 2025, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Delhi High Court challenging the legality of the notification. The PIL assailed the legality, validity, and constitutional propriety of the order issued by the Home (General) Department, GNCTD, with the approval of the Lieutenant Governor. According to the plea, the notification struck at the very root of the right to a fair trial under Article 21 of the Constitution by permitting prosecution witnesses, namely police officials, to depose from within their own official precincts.

Recently, the Executive Committee of the Delhi High Court Bar Association condemned the LG’s notification. “The Executive Committee of the Delhi High Court Bar Association is of the firm view that the said notification ought to be withdrawn as it is against the basic tenets of justice and the principle of fair trial. Its implementation will jeopardise the trial process and adversely impact the outcome of such trials,” the Delhi High Court Bar Association said.

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) also strongly condemned the notification issued by the Lieutenant Governor.In a statement released by its President and Executive Committee, the SCBA described the move as “arbitrary, unlawful, and against the principles of natural justice”. The Association warned that the measure not only undermines the sanctity of judicial proceedings but also compromises the fairness of the process.