Efforts to resolve the deadlock over the Legal Aid Defence Counsel (LADC) policy are now set to move to the highest judicial office, with representatives of the Bar Associations of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh scheduled to meet the Chief Justice of India on their demand for a complete rollback of the policy.Ahead of the proposed engagement, Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Bar Associations of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Friday resolved to suspend the ongoing “No Work” programme for one day only on August 3 as a token of respect.The proposed engagement assumes significance in view of CJI Surya Kant’s earlier experience in addressing issues concerning the legal fraternity. During his tenure at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he was instrumental in resolving a prolonged administrative impasse within District Bar Association, Ludhiana, restoring stability to its functioning.The proposed meeting assumes significance as it is intended to provide a forum for discussing the Bar Associations’ sole demand for the complete rollback of the LADC policy after the high court clarified that such a rollback was beyond its jurisdiction.The decision was taken at a virtual meeting of presidents and secretaries of Bar Associations across Punjab convened to deliberate on whether the strike should be suspended for a day in view of developments relating to the demand for the complete rollback of the LADC policy.According to the resolution, the Punjab and Haryana High Court clarified that the complete rollback of the LADC policy does not fall within its jurisdiction. However, considering the concerns raised by the Bar Associations, the high court has facilitated a meeting of representatives of the Bar Associations of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh with the CJI to discuss their sole demand for the rollback of the policy.The resolution stated that approximately 73 per cent of the participating Bar Associations supported suspending the “No Work” programme on August 3 “as a token of respect to the proposed meeting” in the hope that it would lead to a positive outcome. About 27 per cent, however, did not agree with the proposal and preferred to continue their agitation.It also noted that Bar Associations from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh had extended support for the proposed initiative.JAC resolved that the strike would remain suspended only on August 3. It said that if the proposed meeting failed to yield a positive outcome, particularly on the demand for the complete rollback of the LADC policy, the “No Work” programme would automatically resume from August 4, along with protest demonstrations, dharnas and hunger strikes.The committee further resolved that the agitation would be intensified from August 4 onwards and that the dharna would be shifted to Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on August 7, for which the necessary permission had already been obtained by the conveners.The committee clarified it had no objection if any Bar Association, acting in accordance with the decision of its General House, chose not to support the majority decision and continued its strike, dharna or hunger strike. It said it respected the sentiments, autonomy and democratic decisions of every Bar Association, while emphasising that JAC functioned on democratic principles and that the present resolution reflected the decision of the majority of the participating Bar Associations.The committee also requested one representative each from the district and sessions divisions and the sub-divisions of the Bar Associations of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to participate in the proposed meeting with the CJI, irrespective of whether they supported or opposed the temporary suspension of the strike.