The advocates urged the CJI to reconsider the proposed transfers, highlighting the lack of any stated rationale behind the transfers.
Published Apr 20, 2025 | 6:01 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 20, 2025 | 6:01 PM
The Karnataka High Court. (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: Over 200 young advocates of the Karnataka Bar appealed to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, seeking a reconsideration of the proposed transfers of some judges of the Karnataka High Court. They said the transfer of the judges, without specifying any reason for the move, could signal a weakening of transparency and independence of the judiciary.
Over 200 young advocates of the Karnataka Bar decided to meet and appeal to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, seeking a reconsideration of the proposed transfers of some judges of the Karnataka High Court.
A delegation will also be meeting Karnataka High Court Chief Justice NV Anjaria at 10.30 am on Monday, 21 April, intending to have a logical end to the issue.
In a letter to the CJI, the lawyers said that the transfer of the judges, without specifying any reason for the move, could signal a weakening of transparency and independence of the judiciary.
In their letter, signed by over 200 junior members of the Bar, the advocates urged the CJI to reconsider the proposed transfers, highlighting the lack of any stated rationale behind the proposed transfers.
“The judges in question are widely respected for their fairness, judicial discipline, and a deeply encouraging approach towards young lawyers. The signatories have highlighted how these judges have cultivated courtrooms where junior advocates are heard with patience and adjudicated based solely on the merit of their arguments — a rare and invaluable judicial temperament,” they said in the press release.
The advocates noted that, even though transfers may be administrative, they carry significant implications for the morale of the Bar.
They noted that the judges have significantly contributed to the development of the law and to fostering faith in the Judiciary among litigants and lawyers alike, and added that young lawyers look up to them as role models.
“It is difficult to explain to ourselves, or to the people watching the judiciary closely, why Judges who are known for their competence and fairness are being moved without clear reasons. Such decisions, if left unexplained, can weaken the very faith we are trying to build in the independence and transparency of the institution,” they said in the letter to the CJI.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
