Gujarat HC lawyers meet CJI, urging Collegium to reconsider Justice Sandeep Bhatt’s transfer, alleging it is linked to his orders against the registry, raising concerns over judicial independence.
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AHMEDABAD: A major controversy has arisen in the Gujarat High Court after the Supreme Court Collegium proposed the transfer of Justice Sandeep Bhatt to the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The move has sparked strong opposition from the Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association (GHCAA), which has been abstaining from court work since August 26 in protest.
On Thursday, a delegation of senior lawyers from the GHCAA, including President Brijesh J Trivedi, Senior Advocate Asim Pandya, and Advocates Hardik Brahmbhatt, Babubhai Mangukiya, Dipen Dave, and Bhargav Bhatt, met Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant. They submitted a strongly worded representation urging the Collegium to reconsider the transfer.
The lawyers praised Justice Bhatt as
“one of the most honest and hardworking, industrious, courteous, upfront and dignified judges.”
They highlighted that since his elevation in 2021, Justice Bhatt has disposed of over 19,000 cases in just four years, reflecting his dedication and efficiency. His integrity, they asserted, is beyond question and commands immense respect from the Bar.
The representation hinted that Justice Bhatt’s transfer might be linked to certain judicial orders he passed against the administrative side of the Gujarat High Court under Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal.
In one instance, Justice Bhatt questioned the conduct of Registrar AT Ukrani, who failed to return physical files of 15 cases to a Surat court for seven months after his transfer in 2019. Shortly after Justice Bhatt’s order, his roster was changed by Chief Justice Agarwal. This prompted the GHCAA to pass a resolution condemning the move.
Later, Justice Bhatt, while hearing service matters, also raised concerns about the non-implementation of directions regarding the installation of CCTV cameras in judicial departments of the registry. These observations were later expunged by a Division Bench.
Despite these developments, the delegation stressed that Justice Bhatt had always maintained judicial decorum and never crossed the legal “Laxman Rekha.”
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The Bar body warned that transferring Justice Bhatt in such a manner would appear to be a stigmatic transfer, potentially damaging both his reputation and the credibility of the judicial system. They emphasized that transfers of High Court judges are not routine and must be free from any perception of bias or administrative pressure.
Background of Justice Bhatt
Justice Sandeep N. Bhatt graduated in science from Kotak Science College, Rajkot, in 1988 and earned his law degree in 1992. He began practicing law in 1993 at the Rajkot District Court alongside his father, NS Bhatt, before moving to the Gujarat High Court in 1994 under the mentorship of late Girishbhai D Bhatt. He was elevated as a judge of the Gujarat High Court in October 2021.
The Supreme Court Collegium decided to transfer Justice Bhatt in its meetings on August 25 and 26. Since the delegation could not meet all Collegium members, they submitted additional copies of their representation to be handed over to other judges.
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