Calcutta High Court lawyers protested the unexpected transfer of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma from Delhi High Court, refusing to attend his swearing-in. Legal bodies expressed strong opposition, calling the move questionable and unfair.
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WEST BENGAL: In a strong show of disagreement, several major lawyers’ associations in Kolkata have expressed deep sadness and concern over the recent transfer of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma from the Delhi High Court to the Calcutta High Court.
These legal bodies have informed the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court that they will not attend the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Sharma. They have also stated that their members may not appear in his court.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma’s transfer to the Calcutta High Court was officially notified by the Union Government based on a recommendation from the Supreme Court Collegium. The transfer order came into effect on Tuesday.
ALSO READ: Centre Approves Transfer of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma from Delhi to Calcutta High Court
In a joint statement, the Bar Association, the Bar Library Club, and the Incorporated Law Society of Kolkata wrote to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court with a request that no judicial work be given to Justice Sharma. They made their position clear with this statement:
“In the event, any determination is assigned to the Learned Judge, there is a possibility that our members may not appear before the Learned Judge.”
As a form of protest against the transfer, lawyers chose to boycott court proceedings in the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday. Their decision was directly connected to their dissatisfaction with the Collegium’s recommendation to move Justice Sharma from Delhi to Kolkata.
Earlier, the same three legal associations had already sent a joint representation to the Chief Justice of India (CJI), where they clearly raised doubts over the nature of the transfer.
They stated:
“While we are conscious of regular transfers in usual course of administration of justice, we have reasons to believe that this transfer does not fall in that category.”
They further expressed that Kolkata’s High Court, which holds a special place in Indian legal history as the oldest constitutional court in the country, deserves judges with a solid reputation and experience. In their words:
“Being the oldest Constitutional Temple of the country, the High Court at Calcutta conceivably does not deserve to have a transferred judge with, either questionable image or a short stint.”
In their ongoing protest efforts, the lawyers’ groups also mentioned that apart from not attending the judge’s court and his oath-taking ceremony, they are considering other peaceful ways to protest the transfer. Their goal is to send a strong message without disturbing the work in other courts.
They stated:
“effectively convey” their opposition to the transfer of the said judge, without disturbing other courts.
Additionally, the legal bodies have called on both the Additional Solicitor General and the Advocate General of the state to refrain from attending the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Sharma.
This protest is a significant moment in the Indian judiciary, especially because it raises serious questions about transparency and reasoning behind judicial transfers, and whether all such moves are truly made in the interest of justice.
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