According to the co-ordination committee, High Court lawyers from 14 states joined the strike. “They held demonstrations in their states and also submitted memorandums to the authorities concerned, demanding a review of the amendments meant to provide more liberty and freedom to the accused at the cost of life and safety of the citizens,” said Jaiveer Singh Chauhan, Secretary, Delhi Bar Association.

The Bar Associations have also announced that a demonstration will be held on February 18 in front of the Parliament.

Lawyers march, block key roads
Lawyers brought traffic in and around New Delhi area to a standstill. The hour-long protest began around 3.30 pm from Patiala House Courts complex, with 200 to 250 lawyers marching on to Shahjahan Road, where they turned towards Man Singh Road and on to Akbar Road. The protest rally took a round of the India Gate from Akbar Road and returned to Patiala House Courts.

The police cordoned off the entire rally area, and the result was huge bottlenecks at different roundabouts in the New Delhi district.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Suvashish Chaudhary said the police were informed about the protest march only an hour before it was scheduled.

The police put diversions at all radial roads leading out of India Gate to ensure that traffic was least affected, he said

The procession affected traffic on Prithvi Raj Road, Zakir Hussain Road, Pandara Road, Sher Shah Suri Marg, Copernicus Road, Tilak Marg, Barakhamba Road, Rajpath and Rajendra Prasad Road. Traffic towards India Gate was stopped for several minutes, allowing the lawyers’ rally to pass on. The result was utter chaos, said scores of commuters.

“I was heading for ITO and it took me nearly an hour to get there from Aurangzeb Road. My car was stopped at each intersection,” Anuradha Singh, a commuter, said.