Will look into HC judge transfer, chief justice assures Gujarat lawyers, asks them to end strike

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Monday assured lawyers in Gujarat that the Supreme Court collegium will look into their objections against the proposed transfer of Justice Nikhil Kariel, reported Bar and Bench.

The lawyers are protesting against the collegium’s decision to transfer Justice Nikhil Kariel of the Gujarat High Court and Justice Abhishek Reddy of the Telangana High Court to the Patna High Court, and acting Chief Justice T Raja of the Madras High Court to the Rajasthan High Court.

The Gujarat High Court Advocates Association started the protests and were joined later by the lawyers in Telangana and Madras High Courts. On November 17, the Gujarat advocates’ body had decided to abstain from work indefinitely against Kariel’s transfer order.

On Monday, the a delegation of seven lawyers representing the Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association met Chandrachud, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Mukesh R Shah – all members of the collegium.

The lawyer’s body said in a statement that it made a detailed representation before the judges about Kariel’s transfer.

“The CJI [chief justice of India] has assured the representatives of the Bar that the issues raised would be duly examined but strongly conveyed that since such assurance has been given, the advocates should not abstain from work,” the statement said.

However, Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association General Secretary told Bar and Bench that the body will not call off the strike right now.

“It [decision to call of the strike] will be decided tomorrow at the general body meeting of Gujarat Bar at 10 am where the collegium decision will be discussed,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Telangana bar called off its strike against Reddy’s proposed transfer after Chandrachud assured the lawyers that the collegium will consider their representation, reported Bar and Bench.