Lawyers boycott work in J&K’s Poonch after ‘police search judge’s vehicle’
Lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district have boycotted court proceedings following an incident where police allegedly searched an Additional Sessions Judge's vehicle and acted disrespectfully. The Bar Association is demanding a formal inquiry and action against the involved officers, citing the incident as an affront to judicial independence.
Why it matters
This standoff highlights growing tensions between the judiciary and law enforcement in a sensitive region, potentially disrupting legal processes and access to justice.
Lawyers boycotted court work in the Pir Panjal valley’s Poonch district on Tuesday (August 19, 2026), after police personnel allegedly searched the vehicle of an Additional Sessions Judge at a checkpoint and showed “disrespect despite him disclosing his identity”.
“The Additional Sessions Judge was travelling towards Poonch and reached Kallar, where his vehicle was stopped by the police. A police officer removed the vehicle’s key and behaved disrespectfully towards the judicial officer,” said a protesting lawyer of the Bar Association Poonch.
The work remained suspended in the Poonch court due to protesting lawyers, who wore black bands as a mark of protest. The Bar associations of Surankote and Mendhar also supported the protest call of the lawyers.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in