SC decision on transfer of senior judge has lawyers unite, shut courts in Telangana
By Newsmeter Network Published on 5 Sep 2019 7:50 AM GMT
Hyderabad: Litigation work in courts across the state of Telangana came to a standstill on Wednesday as thousands of advocates’ boycotted work in protest against the Supreme Court Collegium decision to transfer the senior-most judge of the Telangana High Court, Justice P. V. Sanjay Kumar to Punjab & Haryana High Court as a junior judge. The protesting advocates took out rallies demanding that the Collegium recall its decision and either allow Justice Sanjay Kumar to continue in the Telangana High Court or elevate him as the Chief Justice of any other High Court, to which he is entitled as per his seniority.
Advocates of the Telangana High Court went to several court halls and requested a few advocates who were present to leave the halls in view of the Bar Association's decision to boycott work for the day. Soon thereafter, the judges also retired to their chambers and later left the court as there was no work. Later, hundreds of advocates proceeded on a rally from the Bar Council gate to the main entrance gate of the High Court shouting slogans against the Supreme Court Collegium’s decision.
They held placards, “We condemn the arbitrary transfer of Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar’; ‘We Demand immediate recall of Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar's transfer to P&H High Court.” Telangana High Court Advocates Association's president T. Surya Karan Reddy, Bar Council members, senior advocates and others participated in the rally.
Responding to the call of the High Court Advocates Association, several Bar Associations in the state of Telangana conducted an extraordinary general body meeting and resolved to boycott work till September 7, 2019. Court work was affected in several districts of Telangana, including in lower courts of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
Meanwhile, advocates of Andhra Pradesh High Court also held extraordinary general body meeting on Wednesday afternoon in the court premises in Amaravati to discuss the issue of the transfer of Justice P. V. Sanjay Kumar. The meeting unanimously resolved to protest this action of the Supreme Court Collegium by boycotting work in the High Court on September 5 and 6.
