According to the AAB’s notice, the meeting will focus on issues such as the difficulties faced by advocates in Court Hall number 1, administrative lapses in the registry, the Bangalore bench, and a lack of transparency in the board and posting branches of the Registry.
Karnataka: The Advocates’ Association of Bengaluru (AAB) has scheduled a special general body meeting On December 11 to address concerns regarding the functioning of the Karnataka High Court and its Chief Justice, NV Anjaria.
According to the AAB’s notice, the meeting will focus on issues such as the difficulties faced by advocates in Court Hall number 1, administrative lapses in the registry, the Bangalore bench, and a lack of transparency in the board and posting branches of the Registry.
The call for the meeting follows a letter sent by the Association to Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, expressing serious concerns about CJ Anjaria’s judicial and administrative conduct. Among the points raised were concerns about CJ Anjaria’s habit of arriving late to court and leaving early before the official end of court hours.
The AAB had previously made representations to CJ Anjaria in September, seeking to resolve these issues. However, according to AAB President Advocate Vivek Subba Reddy, the Chief Justice did not respond to their grievances during the meeting.
The AAB’s letter to the CJI noted that CJ Anjaria has not started court on time (10:30 am) for several months, and has consistently adjourned earlier than the scheduled time of 4:45 pm. This has led to delays in case resolutions, a backlog of writ appeals, and long waiting times for lawyers without any clear indication of when the Chief Justice will arrive.
Background
A group of advocates from the Karnataka High Court, including several senior members of the Bar, have expressed serious concerns about the administrative and judicial performance of the Chief Justice.
In a memorandum addressed to the Chief Justice of India, signed by over 100 advocates and submitted by T.G. Ravi, General Secretary of the Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru, they highlighted issues such as inefficiency, unequal work distribution, and systemic challenges affecting the court’s reputation.
The advocates emphasized they have no personal agenda and are acting solely to “restore the glory of the High Court and rebuild public confidence in the institution.”
A key allegation focuses on the Chief Justice’s punctuality.
The memorandum states, “The Chief Justice has not started court proceedings at 10:30 a.m. for several months and consistently finishes much earlier than 4:45 p.m.”
This, they argue, has hindered the disposal of important cases, including Public Interest Litigations (PILs), Writ Appeals, and Green Bench matters.
The advocates added that delayed case listings and insufficient court hours discourage lawyers and litigants from approaching the High Court, eroding public trust in the institution
The Association also raised concerns about the mismanagement of judicial rosters and assignments, as well as alleged large-scale corruption in the High Court’s judiciary, particularly in the listing of cases. They emphasized the need for more benches, as writ appeals continue to accumulate, and criticized the lack of administrative action from CJ Anjaria. The AAB also highlighted transparency issues within the registry, with members expressing frustration over the lack of concern for the Bar.
Furthermore, the Association cited an instance where a contempt of court case was adjourned until December 2025, demonstrating the growing concerns over delays in hearings.
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