The Advocates Association has expressed concerns over the Collegium’s decision to appoint at least two Supreme Court lawyers as judges in the Jharkhand High Court.
Jharkhand: The Jharkhand High Court Advocates Association is protesting against the appointment of lawyers from outside the state as judges of the Jharkhand High Court.
ALSO READ: BREAKING | Lawyers Protest Against Amit Shah Over Remarks On Babasaheb Ambedkar
Since March 6, the lawyers have been boycotting the courts of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao, Justice Sujit Narayan Prasad, and Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay. These three judges are part of the High Court Collegium responsible for recommending names for the appointment of judges.
The Advocates Association has expressed concerns over the Collegium’s decision to appoint at least two Supreme Court lawyers as judges in the Jharkhand High Court. According to the Association, this move goes against an earlier resolution opposing the appointment of ‘outsider’ lawyers as judges.
In a letter addressed to the Association’s members on March 4, the Association stated,
“As you are aware, our Association has consistently maintained that the appointment of judges to the Jharkhand High Court should duly consider qualified and experienced regular practitioners/ advocates from within our Bar who possess intimate knowledge of local laws, customs, and socio-economic realities of Jharkhand. This position is not merely a matter of regional preference but stems from our commitment to ensuring effective administration of justice that is sensitive to the unique needs and challenges of our state.”
To strengthen their stand, the Association took disciplinary action against members who did not follow the boycott. In a letter issued on March 10, the Association suspended the membership of 15 lawyers and sent show-cause notices to them. These notices were issued for failing to comply with the resolution to boycott the judges’ courts.
The Association’s resolution also mentioned that the next steps regarding this issue will be discussed in the upcoming General Body meeting.
“The resolution also stated that the future course of action on this matter will be discussed and decided at the next General Body meeting of the Advocates Association, scheduled for March 17.”
Additionally, the Association plans to escalate the matter to higher authorities.
“A delegation of five members will travel to New Delhi to meet the President of India, the Chief Justice of India and the Law Minister, subject to the dignitaries’ availability.”
