Shimla: Advocates of the Himachal Pradesh High Court have strongly opposed the restrictions imposed on the movement of their vehicles on the sealed road leading from Chhota Shimla to the High Court.
To register their protest, the advocates initially demonstrated outside ‘Oak Over’, the official residence of the Chief Minister. They then marched towards the State Secretariat and staged a protest outside its gates.
During the demonstration, the vehicle of Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh approached the sealed road. Pressurizing the police to enforce the rules, the protesting advocates ensured that a challan of ₹1,500 was issued against the minister’s vehicle. Although the minister was not present in the car, his mother and former state Congress president, Pratibha Singh, was traveling in it.
The advocates alleged that the police have been stopping their vehicles along the route, causing severe delays and preventing them from reaching the court on time. Protesting lawyers raised slogans outside the Secretariat and insisted that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu come out to meet them.
Speaking on the issue, advocate HS Thakur stated that lawyers have been commuting smoothly through the Chhota Shimla-Secretariat route to the High Court for years without any hindrance. However, the police are now stopping their vehicles and directing them to use Cart Road instead.
The lawyers strongly objected to using Cart Road, pointing out that it suffers from heavy traffic congestion. This delay prevents them from reaching court in time, thereby disrupting judicial work and negatively impacting the administration of justice.
The advocates argued that since they only travel to court in the morning and return in the evening, their movement does not cause any chaos or mismanagement. They requested that the long-standing arrangement be left undisturbed.
Furthermore, the lawyers stated they are unaware of any written orders issued by the government regarding this restriction, yet the police continue to stop their vehicles arbitrarily.
Thakur added that they plan to discuss the matter directly with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. He noted that the Chief Minister himself has been an advocate and understands the problems faced by lawyers. He warned that if a positive decision is not taken, the agitation will continue and protests will be launched across different parts of the state.
