Madras High Court Advocates Association Passes Resolution Against CAT Judicial Member, Says She Asked An Advocate To 'Get Out'

In a resolution signed by more than 200 advocates, the Madras High Court Advocates Association has condemned the conduct of the Judicial Member of Central Administrative Tribunal, Chennai Bench, Ms Lata Baswaraj Patne, stating that she asked a lawyer to “get out”. In its resolution dated September 26th, the Association said that the utterances made by the member revealed a "deep-seated prejudice and bias" against the members of the Chennai Bar. This was following a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Service Bar Association for issuing around 150 orders in cases where the orders were pronounced in open court but their copies were withheld by the CAT. The Association has alleged that the member has taken it as a personal affront and ever since has been making "biased remarks" against Advocates in open court. The association also cited an instance where the member allegedly remarked that “the bar always alleged bias”. Thus, on September 22nd, the association had resolved to request not posting of cases before the said Judicial member "so that the litigants are not adversely affected". Following this, when one senior member of the bar, Advocate R Sankarasubbu had requested to post his case before any other bench, it is stated that the member shouted at him and even commented that the Service Bar Association was a footpath association and that she did not have any respect for it. The association also alleged that the advocates representing the Government were given special treatment without any palpable reason and thus there was unfairness and bias in the adjudication of matters. Thus, claiming that the bar had lost all faith in the impartiality of the judicial member, and that the conduct of the member showed "utter arrogance" and "lack of judicial temper", the Association has unanimously decided to send a representation to the Chairman of Central Administrative Tribunal, New Delhi and to the Central Government to transfer the judicial member out of Chennai bench.

Madras High Court Advocates Association Passes Resolution Against CAT Judicial Member, Says She Asked An Advocate To 'Get Out'

Upasana Sajeev

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