Advocates protest against transfer of Madras HC Chief Justice

Chennai, Nov 15 (IANS) Senior advocates of the Madras High Court on Monday held a protest march against the Supreme Court collegium's decision to transfer Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee to Meghalaya.

Almost all the senior advocates of the Madras High court participated in the protest march. The Bar association of the Madras High Court has already passed a resolution against the transfer of the Chief Justice to a relatively very small state.

Justice Sanjib Banerjee, who joined Madras High Court as its Chief Justice, has only served for ten months since January 2021. He brought out several landmark judgments antagonising the power centres at both state and central governments.

The protesting advocates want the transfer to be cancelled or dropped so that Justice Sanjib Banerjee continues in office. He was serving at the Kolkotta High Court before his transfer to Tamil Nadu.

Madras High Court Advocates Association (MHAA) President, G. Mohanakrishnan told IANS, "We are distressed to note that the present Chief Justice was recommended for transfer from Chennai to Meghalaya. He had assumed office only in January 2021 and was a good judge. We fervently appeal to the Chief Justice of India and the Judges of the Supreme Court Collegium to consider the views of the legal fraternity and take a decision in the interest of all the stakeholders."

However Advocate G. Karthikeyan, Assistant Solicitor General of the Madras High Court and President, Madras Bar Association, questioned the logic behind the protest only for the Chief Justice and said many judges were shifted to other high courts in the recent past.

Karthikeyan also questioned the rationale behind the passing of a resolution in respect of Justice Banerjee alone.

MHAA has over 20,000 members.