When lawyers strike, consumers of justice suffer, not judges: CJI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 19

As advocates in Gujarat and Telangana resort to strike against the Supreme Court Collegium’s reported recommendation to transfer one judge each from the Gujarat and Telangana high courts to Patna, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Saturday appealed to the striking lawyers to talk to him.

Dialogue the way out

Strike must give way to harmony. Much of what confronts us with regard to our problems can be solved through dialogue… I appeal to the members of the Bar to talk to me. Justice DY Chandrachud, CJI

“Strike must give way to harmony. Much of what confronts us with regard to our problems can be solved through dialogue… I appeal to the members of the Bar to talk to me… When lawyers strike, consumers of justice suffer, not judges,” CJI Chandrachud said at a function organised by the Bar Council of India to felicitate him.

“We must learn to trust those in authority who have the best welfare of the institution at heart… Question them, but learn to trust them as well,” he said.

Interestingly, the CJI didn’t specifically mention the names of the two high courts where advocates were protesting the Collegium’s decision. In his first Collegium meeting on Wednesday, CJI Chandrachud and other four members had reportedly decided to recommend the transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel of the Gujarat High Court and Justice A Abhishek Reddy of the Telangana High Court to Patna. The Collegium was also understood to have recommended the transfer of Madras High Court Acting Chief Justice T Raja to the Rajasthan High Court for “administrative reasons”.

The Collegium’s recommendation, which has not been officially made public, has been opposed by the Bar associations of Gujarat and Telangana.

“When we take decisions on the administrative side, we are looking at the national perspective. The lawyers and the Bar may be looking at it from a district or high court perspective,” CJI Chandrachud said.

Quoting Dr BR Ambedkar, the CJI said strike was relevant during the colonial era, not now. Earlier, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, Attorney General R Venkataramani, BCI chairman Manan Kumar Mishra and several other judges and lauded CJI Chandrachud on his elevation to the top judicial post.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

#Gujarat #Justice DY Chandrachud #supreme court #Telangana