Justice DB Bhosale at the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court called on senior lawyers to encourage juniors to argue cases. He was addressing members of the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) at the conclusion of the circuit sitting of justices RM Borde, KU Chandiwal and himself at the Nagpur bench recently. HCBA president Anil Mardikar and secretary Abhay Sambre were present.
"I have noticed that junior lawyers are only assigned work of seeking adjournments, filing applications for condonation of delay and order matters, and the like," said justice Bhosale.
Mostly, juniors pray only for adjournment of hearing due to preoccupation of seniors, Bhosale said, asserting that as a policy, senior lawyers should not argue order matters and leave this to the juniors.
Justice Bhosale narrated the case of a junior lawyer who appeared before the court in a matter of condonation of delay. Bhosale said the youngster was under strict instructions from his senior not to argue the application for condonation of delay.
The opposite side was being represented by a senior lawyer, who had filed a long affidavit opposing the same, Bhosale said.
The judge said he asked the junior lawyer why he was avoiding arguing the case himself, and got the reply that the junior was under instructions not to do so.
Justice Bhosale then asked the junior whether he had studied the case papers, to which the reply was in the affirmative. The judge then 'directed' the junior lawyer to argue the application for condonation of delay. "the junior did exceedingly well and the court allowed his application and condoned the delay," remarked justice Bhosale.
The judge's advice to senior lawyers has been received with much appreciation by junior lawyers, a section of whom are critical that they do not get proper hearing in the court. Such juniors had also made it an issue in the recently-concluded HCBA elections.
"I have noticed that junior lawyers are only assigned work of seeking adjournments, filing applications for condonation of delay and order matters, and the like," said justice Bhosale.
Mostly, juniors pray only for adjournment of hearing due to preoccupation of seniors, Bhosale said, asserting that as a policy, senior lawyers should not argue order matters and leave this to the juniors.
Justice Bhosale narrated the case of a junior lawyer who appeared before the court in a matter of condonation of delay. Bhosale said the youngster was under strict instructions from his senior not to argue the application for condonation of delay.
The opposite side was being represented by a senior lawyer, who had filed a long affidavit opposing the same, Bhosale said.
The judge said he asked the junior lawyer why he was avoiding arguing the case himself, and got the reply that the junior was under instructions not to do so.
Justice Bhosale then asked the junior whether he had studied the case papers, to which the reply was in the affirmative. The judge then 'directed' the junior lawyer to argue the application for condonation of delay. "the junior did exceedingly well and the court allowed his application and condoned the delay," remarked justice Bhosale.
The judge's advice to senior lawyers has been received with much appreciation by junior lawyers, a section of whom are critical that they do not get proper hearing in the court. Such juniors had also made it an issue in the recently-concluded HCBA elections.
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