Gujarat HC Advocates' Assoc. To Abstain From Work Indefinitely To Protest Against Justice Nikhil Kariel's Proposed Transfer

The Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association (GHCAA) today resolved to abstain from work indefinitely to protest against the Supreme Court Collegium's proposal to transfer High Court Judge Justice Nikhil S. Kariel to Patna High Court.

The decision was taken by the Association in an urgent meeting convened today hours after the members of the bar gathered today in the court of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar to protest against the proposed SC Collegium decision.

When CJ Aravind Kumar asked the lawyers about the purpose of their presence in large numbers before the Court, Senior Advocate Mihir Thakore said that they were against the proposed transfer of Justice Kariel to Patna High Court and that they wished to observe two minutes of silence. "We are here to mourn the death of independent judiciary," Senior Advocate Thakore said. 

#JustIN | Lawyers gather in the court of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar of #GujaratHighCourt to protest against the SC Collegium's reported proposal to transfer Justice Nikhil Kariel to #PatnaHighCourt.

"We are here to mourn the death of independent judiciary," one lawyer said. pic.twitter.com/6D7URWqEmA

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) November 17, 2022

In a statement, Senior Advocate Asim Pandya also remarked that the proposal to transfer Justice Mr. Nikhil Kariel is indeed a death knell to the independence of the judiciary and that it was highly improper and seems to be victimization of a very humble, thoroughly honest, bold, fearless and unbiased judge.