After Gujarat & Telangana, Madras Bar Protests Against Supreme Court Collegium Proposal To Transfer Judge

After Gujarat and Telangana, the Madras High Court Advocates Association has come forward opposing the proposal to transfer  a sitting judge.

The Association has taken objection to the transfer of Acting Chief Justice T Raja to Rajasthan High Court.

The Association wrote a letter to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud opposing the transfer. In its letter, the association President G Mohanakrishnan wrote that the transfer "does not bode well for the judiciary and is seen as a disincentive for efficiency and judicial decency."

The letter further states that, Justice Raja's transfer which has come at a time when he has only six months to retire is a bad news for the judiciary.

Thus, the association raised strong objection to the proposed transfer and called upon the Supreme Court collegium and the Central Government to drop the proposal and allow Justice Raja to continue his service as the Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court till he attains superannuation. 

The Madras High Court Advocates Association (MHAA) hereby lodges its strongest opposition to the proposed transfer, and calls upon the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Hon'ble Collegium and the Government of India to drop the proposal and let Hon'ble Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court to continue in his present capacity till he attains superannuation.

The Madras High Court Law Association has also passed a resolution asking the Chief Justice to reconsider the transfer of Justice Raja.

Justice T Raja was appointed as the Acting Chief Justice of Madras High Court on September 22nd following the superannuation of then Acting Chief Justice Duraiswamy.

On November 16, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the transfer of Justice T Raja to the Rajasthan High Court. Along with this, the Collegium also recommended the transfer of Justices A Abhishek Reddy and Nikhil S Kariel from the Telangana High Court and the Gujarat High court respectively to Patna High Court. 

The Bar Associations of Gujarat and Telangana High Courts have resolved to abstain from work indefinitely to protest against the Collegium proposals.