Law Minister Shafiq Ahmed received a delegation led by association president Abdul Gafoor, also a district judge.

The minister sought to play down the incident while talking to the media.

'I will not call it an incident...They (judicial officers) came to me to express their opinion on the decision to divide the law ministry into two -- one for legislative and parliamentary affairs and the other for law and justice affairs,' Shafique Ahmed said.

The judges had left their work at the courts to participate in the rally.

Asked whether it was in violation of the service rules to remain absent from the court during official hours and agitate openly at the ministry, the minister declined comment.

The Supreme Court would deal with the matter of taking departmental proceedings against the judges, the minister said, 'since the judiciary is now independent of the executive'.