SURAT – The Surat District Bar Association is taking a stand against the proposed relocation of the city's Athwalines court building to Jiyav-Budiya, with the group lodging repeated unanimous objections and calling for an alternative site for the court. In a display of solidarity, lawyers have taken to conducting judicial proceedings while donning red ribbons.
The Association's efforts to resist the court move have also seen it undertaking a partial strike action for the past two days, involving a refusal to serve voluntarily in the mediation center, effectively placing a halt to the operations of the Lok Adalat. This refusal to serve has led to a suspension of ongoing cases, with parties being forced to adjourn to future dates.
Surat District Bar Association President P.T. Rana, Vice President Amar Patel, and Minister Himanshu Patel have submitted a written request to Surat City Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Tomar, seeking permission to hold a peaceful rally on July 20. Should their request be granted, the rally will proceed from the court building to the Surat District Collector's Office, where the Association intends to submit a resolution and petition agreed upon in a general meeting.
Moreover, members of the Lady Advocate Active Committee, including convenor Pritiben Joshi, Sangeeta Khunt, and Bharti Mukherjee, have appealed to Surat-Navsari MP Darshanaben Zardosh and CR Patil over the court relocation plan. They conveyed their concerns and the challenges posed by the proposed relocation site, while also proposing the expansion of the existing court building as a possible solution.
