The judicial work in the national capital was paralysed on Thursday as lawyers in New Delhi went on strike to "safeguard the dignity" of the legal profession.

The lawyers are protesting a suggestion of the Bar Council of India (BCI) to the Law Commission that advocates should be banned from going on strike and imposed with penalties if they do.

Around a thousand lawyers have been holding a protest march outside the Bar Council of India office at the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg in New Delhi.

The lawyers were shouting slogans against BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and said that his dictatorship would not be tolerated as he was misusing his power.

They also burnt effigy of Mishra to vent their anger against the arbitrarily decision of the Bar Council.

The Coordination Committee of All District Court Bar Associations of Delhi said the strike was being observed in all six district courts -- Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Rohini, Karkardooma, Saket and Dwarka.  

According to the committee, the strike is not against the Bar Council of India (BCI) or any other organisation, but "to safeguard the dignity" of the legal profession.

"None of the lawyers is appearing before the court as we have decided to abstain from work. The strike is successful," said New Delhi Bar Association President Santosh Mishra.