The Karnataka High Court witnessed a complete boycott of proceedings on Wednesday as lawyers abstained from work in protest against the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation to transfer four sitting judges of the High Court. The protest was led by the Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru (AAB), which convened a General Body meeting on Tuesday and passed a unanimous resolution condemning the transfers.
The four judges in question—Justice Krishna Dixit, Justice K. Natarajan, Justice Hemant Chandangoudar, and Justice Sanjay Gowda—have been recommended for transfer to the Orissa, Kerala, Madras, and Gujarat High Courts respectively. The Collegium stated that the transfers aim to “infuse inclusivity and diversity at the level of High Courts and to strengthen the quality of administration of justice.”
However, the AAB expressed strong dissent over the move, accusing the Collegium of bypassing Karnataka’s judiciary in critical decisions. In a statement issued following the boycott, the association said, “This decision reflects the deep anguish and growing unrest among advocates over the repeated sidelining of Karnataka’s judiciary in key decisions.”
The AAB has also criticized the opacity surrounding the transfer process, calling for greater transparency and accountability in Collegium proceedings. It has urged bar associations at the Dharwad and Gulbarga benches to join the protest as a show of unity to “defend the integrity and independence of the judiciary.”
This full-day boycott comes on the heels of a symbolic one-hour work abstention observed by the association on Tuesday.
Lawyers’ bodies from across Karnataka, including leaders from the Dharwad bar, have previously communicated their opposition to the Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna. The legal fraternity has demanded a review of the proposed transfers, arguing that such actions undermine the morale of the state’s judiciary and the faith of litigants in the justice delivery system.
