Delhi High Court Bar Association condemns LG's order, calls for Black Ribbon protest

New Delhi [India], August 27 (ANI): The Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) has strongly condemned the notification issued on August 13, 2025, by Delhi's Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, which designates video conference rooms in police stations as official venues for recording evidence of police personnel and officers.
In a notice dated August 27, 2025, the DHCBA's Executive Committee described the move as unacceptable and unanimously resolved to oppose it.
The Association has asked its members to wear black ribbons while appearing in court as a symbolic mark of protest until the notification is withdrawn.
"The notification declaring police station video conference rooms as 'designated places' for recording evidence undermines the sanctity of judicial proceedings," the notice, signed by Joint Secretary Kunal Malhotra, stated. The Association appealed to all members to cooperate in the protest.
The DHCBA's move comes amid a larger agitation by lawyers across Delhi. Bar associations from district courts have been on strike since August 22, demanding the withdrawal of the Lieutenant Governor's order.
On August 26, the Coordination Committee of All Delhi Bar Associations decided to extend the strike for another day.
Lawyers from Patiala House Court staged a march at India Gate Circle, while their counterparts from Rouse Avenue Court held demonstrations near the court complex.
The Bar Council of India (BCI) has also sided with the Delhi lawyers, calling the LG's directive a blow to the principles of natural justice. In a letter to the LG, BCI Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and Co-Chairman Ved Prakash Sharma warned that recording testimonies from police stations could erode the credibility of evidence and compromise the right to a fair trial.
"Evidence can only be recorded in court in the physical presence of the witness," the BCI said, pointing out that effective cross-examination--the cornerstone of criminal trials--would be weakened if conducted via video conferencing from locations controlled by investigating agencies (ANI)