Allahabad HC lawyers on indefinite strike over transfer of Justice Varma
“We are fighting for the common man who comes to court with a belief in the judicial system. If such things (corruption in judiciary) happen, then mafia will run courts in this country,” says HCBA president
PRAYAGRAJ Members of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association began an indefinite strike on Tuesday to protest against the proposed transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma from the Delhi high court to the high court here.
A large number of lawyers gathered near Gate No. 3 of the high court and raised slogans in support of the strike. A team of lawyers, including Sumit Kumar Srivastava, joint secretary (admin); Abhijeet Pandey, joint secretary (library); Subhash Yadav, vice-president and Awadhesh Mishra, member of the governing council of the HCBA, went to courtrooms to request judges not to decide any matter as lawyers were abstaining from judicial work.
The Supreme Court collegium on Monday confirmed its decision to recommend transfer of Justice Varma, facing an inquiry over the alleged discovery of huge cash from his official residence and from whom judicial work was withdrawn, to the Allahabad high court.
Talking to media persons, HCBA president Anil Tiwari said, “It is not a personal fight...we are fighting for the common man who comes to court with a belief in the judicial system. If such things (corruption in judiciary) happen, then mafia will run courts in this country.”
“The protest of lawyers is not against any court or any judge, but against those who have cheated this judicial system. Our fight is against those people involved in corruption and against a system that is not transparent,” he added.
He said: “Our demand includes reconsideration and cancellation of the transfer order (of Justice Yashwant Varma from Delhi HC to Allahabad HC).”
Tiwari said lawyers were boycotting work but had not stopped any judge from holding court or any litigant from coming to the courts.
Meanwhile, the HCBA decided to close down the photo affidavit centre, resulting in non filing of new cases, as no case or application can be filed without coupons issued by the centre.
The Bar had demanded that the CJI recommend to the government for impeachment proceedings against Justice Varma.
On Monday, the HCBA had passed a resolution demanding that the CJI permits registration of FIR and CBI & ED probe in the incident of alleged recovery of huge amount of cash from justice Varma’s official residence on March 14.
OBA , to abstain from work on Friday
LUCKNOW The Oudh Bar Association (OBA) of the high court here on Tuesday decided to abstain from work on March 28 in protest of the proposed transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma from the Delhi high court to the Allahabad high court. The association also decided to discuss the issue with the central government and the Chief Justice of India.
The decision was taken at an executive committee meeting during which a resolution was passed to abstain from work on March 28. “We demand his impeachment at the earliest to arrest further damage to public faith in the judiciary,” stated the resolution.
OBA general secretary Manoj Kumar Dwivedi informed that bar association president RD Shahi had discussed the issue with the presidents of 22 bar associations of high court across the country.
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association was not only opposing transfer of Justice Varma, but also seeking a review of his judgements during his tenure as a judge in Allahabad high court and Delhi HC.
