[dailydriver]

Remember those moments in life when they see a random kid slurp his lollypop, other kids too start pestering their parents to buy them one? Well, here's an adult equivalent of the same.

LAWYERS WANT EXEMPTION FROM PAYING TOLL CHARGES ON HIGHWAYS

In a move that is bound to anger the common man, the president of the Bengaluru Bar Council has filed a PIL in the Karnataka High Court seeking exemption from paying tolls on national highways. The logic is simple: Judges already enjoy the privilege; lawyers - an indispensable cog in the judicial wheel - assist the Judges in delivering justice. Hence, they too should have a piece of the exemption pie.

Thanks to KannadaPrabha (Dt: 06/11/2018, Bengaluru Edition, Pg: 2) for picking up the story.



PS: Although at first, it appears an action born out of sheer greed, this could as well be an attempt at needling the judiciary about its self created hallowed status. If it is the latter, the Bar council is sure treading on some thin ice!

Further reading (in case you have missed it earlier )
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ps-judges.html (High Court wants separate toll booth lanes for VIPs & Judges)

A not so serious query: Extending the esteemed lawyers' logic a little further, shouldn't the litigants without whom the entire justice delivery system will have to shut shop, be also be exempted from paying toll charges?

[condor]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

PS: Although at first, it appears an action born out of sheer greed, this could as well be an attempt at needling the judiciary about its self created hallowed status. If it is the latter, the Bar council is sure treading on some thin ice!

Bar council afraid of the Judiciary ? Please dont expect that ! They know each other very well.

But either way, audacious move.

[Lalvaz]

Great move. I think it shines the light of accountability on our broken down judicial system. Let’s hope all such exemptions are denied and it’s a level playing field for everyone, irrespective of their clout.

[Thermodynamics]

If this thing succeeds, I'll probably do a correspondence law course and qualify myself exempted because I am frustrated with these immortal, ever-increasing, chockablock Toll gates.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

*SNIP*

The logic is simple: Judges already enjoy the privilege; lawyers - an indispensable cog in the judicial wheel - assist the Judges in delivering justice. Hence, they too should have a piece of the exemption pie.

*SNIP*

By the same logic, anyone who breaks any law is an indispensible cog too; in fact, scofflaws are the sole raison d'être for the judiciary, no?

On a related note, I see no reason for judges or anyone else who uses those roads to be exempt from paying toll (well, maybe ambulances on call and fire-trucks on call qualify).

Cheers

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

If this thing succeeds, I'll probably do a correspondence law course and qualify myself exempted...

On that, you will be surprised to know that before an independent Law University came up in Karnataka and brought in age/time restrictions on admissions to law courses, a large number of Government officials used to attend (?) evening law colleges to manage an LLB degree.

Once their time in the service was up, these gentlemen (and some women too) would start practicing in law courts, mostly handling service matters. Even today, a significant number of lawyers litigating in KAT and CAT are retired government servants.

Sorry for the off topic discussion.

X X X X X

Having said that, if there is group that can bulldoze their way through the ubiquitous red tape, inherent lethargy and brazen corruption and get some work done, it is the lawyers. And as rightly pointed out by condor, they know the other parties too well to be afraid of things that the common man usually is. And perhaps that gives them the courage to be audacious!

Still, I somehow feel that there is something more to/in the PIL than is visible to the naked eye. The next hearing, slated to be in held in a fortnight, will be worth observing.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

If this thing succeeds, I'll probably do a correspondence law course and qualify myself exempted because I am frustrated with these immortal, ever-increasing, chockablock Toll gates.

That won't work since you can't write the bar exam with a distance law course in India. Without that you won't be a member of the bar, so you won't get the exception. Sorry to spoil your plan.

I can't understand why even Judges need exemption. I know that judges in India have god complex, but something gotta give. If you visit a court, it is very odd to see them acting like they own everybody in that room. My uncle (age 80) frequents the courts regularly on civil suits, and he himself is a retired senior government official. Still he is expected to jump up and pay respects to judges who are less than half his age, when they enter and exit.

Now even lawyers wanting the same godly treatment is just ludicrous.

[Jaggu]

I think it is a great move, maybe this will help court decide against all such exemptions and rule against even judges and govt officers being exempted. Why should we discriminate against them, everyone needs to pay toll

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

A not so serious query: Extending the esteemed lawyers' logic a little further, shouldn't the litigants without whom the entire justice delivery system will have to shut shop, be also be exempted from paying toll charges?

I like this idea . Any person who has some reason to enter any court of law must be exempted. By extension, on the grounds of emergency & compassion, we can exempt all the folks who have a reason to visit hospitals. So, instead of flashing a note, people can flash their prescription and get toll exemption

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

PIL = 'Public Interest Litigation'.

Judiciary filing a PIL to distance itself from the public. What an irony in itself!

[LegalEagle]

This seems more to point out the shallowness in the High Court Judgement asking for exempt vehicle lanes to be kept empty.

Also, even if this succeeds, this would create greater problem, as fake Bar Council ID's will start being created dime a dozen.

[Miyata]

It's crazy that we keep hankering for preferential treatment no matter what. Greed seriously has no bounds! Really wish there was a strong enough leader to shake things up and normalize the society as a whole - fat chance of that happening, I know!

[tilt]

Originally Posted by LegalEagle

This seems more to point out the shallowness in the High Court Judgement asking for exempt vehicle lanes to be kept empty.

Also, even if this succeeds, this would create greater problem, as fake Bar Council ID's will start being created dime a dozen.

Henceforth toll booths will have individual lanes marked as "Doctors only", "Lawyers only", "Judges only", "Politicians only"; and the rest may use only the narrow village roads and avoid all highways.

Cheers

[aadya]

Originally Posted by tilt

Henceforth toll booths will have individual lanes marked as "Doctors only", "Lawyers only", "Judges only", "Politicians only"; and the rest may use only the narrow village roads and avoid all highways.

Cheers

OT:
Though I don't support the notion that "Doctor is like a God", many times Doctor and God are equal in many people's minds. They don't bother about Doctor or God till things are cozy in their health or life.

Its my practical experience I have in how people block me from parking peacefully near my workplace(hospital) despite seeing the Doctor sticker on my car and a large stethoscope lying on my shoulder. People are only afraid of politicians, rowdies, Police and Lawyers. Doctors never get preferential treatment except in front of a Bank Relationship officer.

[mpksuhas]

Bengaluru lawyers in news for wrong reasons is not new -

The rider was without a helmet nor did he have papers on him. He turned out to be an advocate and he began arguing with the constable. The argument led to the advocate raising his hand against the constable. He then kicked him. Other policemen gathered at the spot and the advocate along with the two pillion riders were taken to the police station
https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.c...w/21439342.cms

The City Civil Court here turned into a battlefield on Friday as groups of lawyers launched a no-holds-barred attack on journalists who had come to cover the proceedings of the special CBI court where Bellary mining baron G. Janardhan Reddy was produced at 11 a.m.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...cle2953958.ece