Ensure Lawyers for Sedition-Accused: High Court

On Thursday, the High Court of Karnataka observed that to uphold the best legal traditions, a member of the Hubballi Bar Association (HBA) should appear on behalf of the 3 Kashmiri students charged with sedition for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans in their engineering college hostel in Hubballi on Feb 14.

The observation came a day after the Court slammed the local bar for allegedly heckling a group of Bengaluru Advocates who had appeared on behalf of the students, calling it “sheer militancy”. 

On Thursday, HBA officer-bearers appeared before the Court with a fresh resolution, modifying the one passed on Feb 15 that had barred its members from appearing for the accused. However, the Court was still unhappy with the resolution, which now left the issue to individual members.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka observed that instead of modifying it, the association should have simply recalled the contentious resolution. The association agreed to take back the resolution.

Meanwhile, despite assurances from HBA office-bearers to ensure that proceedings are conducted in a peaceful manner, the bench said it's Feb 20 order directing the local Police to provide security to lawyers appearing for the 3 students will continue.

Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka observed that “We would have transferred the case here (from Hubballi-Dharwad to Bengaluru). That was a simple task. However, as far as possible, it should be heard there. That will send the right signal. It is not good that lawyers have to seek police protection for appearing in a Court".

On Monday, Lawyer Maitreyi Krishna and others were allegedly heckled by HBA members, when they attended the Dharwad Court to file bail applications on behalf of the accused students. 

On Feb 15, the Bar Association had passed a resolution, asking its members not to represent the students. It had also called upon members of other bar associations to follow suit.

Lawyer B T Venkatesh & 23 other Advocates then approached the High Court through a Public Interest Litigation, seeking the quashing of the resolution. The next hearing on the PIL is scheduled for March 6.

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