Bengaluru Advocates' Association Resolves To Conduct Candle March Against Alleged Corruption In Judiciary, HC Registry And Trial Courts

In its Special General Body Meeting held on March 24, the Advocates' Association, Bengaluru has resolved that protest of lawyers through a candle light vigil in darkness would be held all over Karnataka and at the high court's gate to bring to the understanding of the judiciary that there is a need to "dispel the darkness and bring light to our judiciary". The protest will be held against the instances of corruption in judiciary, against the corruption in the Registry of Karnataka High Court to get matters posted and against the failure of the vigilance department of the High Court to curb corruption in trial court and inaction by the High Court's to dismiss errant trial judge from service.The meeting was called to discuss the issue of alleged cash haul at Justice Yashwant Varma's official residence in Delhi and the meeting called for accountability in judiciary and further to discuss growing concerns of corruption in Higher and trial judiciary as well as other issues. The association noted that the incident at Delhi has shaken the confidence and faith of the public in the Judiciary and has eroded the credibility of the Judiciary and this has consequently shaken the foundation of the system of rule of law in the country.Further, corruption is becoming deeply entrenched and there are growing concerns of it becoming widespread in all the courts at all levels including the Karnataka high court and Trial Courts across the state. In this situation the Supreme Court collegium can no longer stand as a helpless witness and has to raise to the occasion and take radical steps to fully eradicate corruption in Judiciary, the association has said. Accordingly it was resolved that judges of higher judiciary and all high courts against whom there are allegations of corruption must be transferred from their parent High Court to other high courts.Further, judges at all levels including Supreme Court and High Court and their family members must declare their assets and liabilities in public every year as public servants and the same must be published in the website of the Supreme Court and the relevant High Court.The body also noted the unduly huge number of matters are made as part heard by Justice K. Natarajan of the Karnataka High Court of Karnataka. Thus it resolved to demand that Justice K. Natarajan immediately releases all Part Heard matters or Further Hearing matters before him which are in substantial number failing which a boycott of his court will be called. The Association also resolved to intimate the Chief Justice of India and the collegium judges to take immediate steps to improve the accountability and administration in Karnataka Judiciary and to take all measures to set right the administration. The Association also expressed deep concern about the statement on alleged honey trap of judges by a Minister on the floor of the house and requested the Karnataka High Court Chief Justice to look into the veracity and truth of these allegations by writing to the speaker of the house and placing the same before the full court of high court.On the issue of the collegium system it was resolved that it is not turning out to be a proper and efficient system to curb corruption in judiciary and to bring accountability of judges. There are many instances of Nepotism in appointments made by collegium and this is reducing the faith of advocates and the public in the system. Drastic modifications are necessary to bring transparency in appointment of judges and accountability of the Judges.Thus it was also unanimously resolved by the General Body that the Karnataka High Court Collegium must compose of Karnataka High Court judges to ensure representation of Karnataka State in the state High Court Collegium.Click here to read resolution

Bengaluru Advocates' Association Resolves To Conduct Candle March Against Alleged Corruption In Judiciary, HC Registry And Trial Courts

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