The Bar Council said the issue concerning the LADC system had been under discussion for a long time and that lawyers across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh had been agitating against the scheme, claiming that its implementation had led to “significant ramifications and side effects’ over the years.

The Bar Council further said that the Supreme Court had already constituted a committee, which reportedly took cognisance of the issue and was actively reviewing the scheme, with its report awaited. It added that, in support of the cause, the Sub-Committee along with leaders of Bar Associations from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh had met the Chief Justice of India, the Union Law Minister, the Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and judges of the High Court’s Administrative Committee.

According to the Council, apart from highlighting the adverse impact of the scheme on the legal fraternity, it had also represented that the LADC scheme was “detrimental to the interest of the ordinary citizen and is in no way supportive” of the cause of the access to justice.

Meanwhile, the General House of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association resolved to issue a show-cause notice to advocate Arvind Seth, alleging that the filing of PIL was “contrary to the legal fraternity”. It also resolved that the licences of LADCs across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh be suspended by the Bar Council, with the proposed suspension order to be placed before the General House on July 30.

The High Court Bar Association further announced suspension of work in the Punjab and Haryana High Court with immediate effect till July 30 in support of the Joint Action Committee of Bar Associations of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh opposing the implementation of the LADC policy. It said the future course of action on the issue would be decided at the General House meeting scheduled for July 30.