Calcutta High Court lawyers on Friday decided to withdraw their joint decision to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma after Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam urged them to reconsider their call in the interest of unity..Justice Sharma was recently transferred to the Calcutta High Court from the Delhi High Court despite opposition from the Bar Library Club, the High Court Bar Association and the Incorporated Law Society of Calcutta.After the Collegium proposal was cleared by the Central government, the three bodies on April 1 resolved to not participate in the judge's swearing-in ceremony. The decision had prompted Chief Justice Sivagnanam to urge the Bar bodies to reconsider their decision. "Let us all unite to make our institution proud," he wrote to them on Thursday.Justice Sivagnanam also had reminded the lawyers that the High Court has the history of welcoming the judges from outside."I am writing this letter to impress upon you to reconsider your decision especially keeping in mind the rich culture of Bengal in welcoming and embracing people of all walks of life to this glorious land of heritage and culture. I am a beneficiary of such love, hospitality and affection.".The Bar bodies responded positively to Chief Justice Sivagnanam's letter. The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) today convened an urgent General Body Meeting to consider the matter."In the said Urgent General Body meeting it was unanimously decided that to pay respect to the request of the Hon'ble Chief Justice the General Body is of the view that the members of the Bar Association High Court Calcutta will attend the Swearing-in Ceremony of Hon'ble Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma and will cooperate His Lordship for dispensation of justice in our High Court. In view of today's resolution the letter dated Ist April, 2025 issued by the three wings of the Bar become ineffective so far as the Bar Association High Court Calcutta is concern," HCBA Secretary Sankar Prasad Dalapati said in a response to the Chief Justice..Similarly, the Incorporated Law Society of Calcutta announced that its members would be free to attend the ceremony. However, its office bearers would not attend the event."Your Lordship's letter was placed before our Council members, who were touched by the emotion and warmth expressed by Your Lordship. We greatly value Your Lordship's feeling about being part of our glorious Institution and its legacy and we heartily reciprocate Your Lordship's feelings. We consider ourselves lucky to have You as our Hon'ble Chief Justice," President Dipnarayan Mittra said in response to the Chief Justice's letter.The letter adds,"In view of the aforesaid and particularly, in view of impassioned request contained in Your Lordship's letter dated 3rd April, 2025. We withdraw our letter dated 1st April, 2025 and our members would be free to attend the Swearing in Ceremony or participate in proceeding, as they may deem fit and proper. We, however, regret to inform Your Lordship that our Council Members/Office Bearers would be unable to be part of the Oath Ceremony. Hope your Lordship would not misunderstand us.".However, Bar Library Club said its General Body has decided that it may not be possible for its members to attend the swearing-in ceremony."In view of the above, we regret our inability to have any of our office bearers addressing at the ceremony. We however assure Your Lordship our support and cooperation in all other matters," Honorary Secretary Sabyasachi Chaudhury wrote back to the Chief Justice.Speaking to Bar & Bench, Chaudhury said that the Bar Library Club is a comparatively smaller body, with about 300 members..The three bar bodies had earlier written to the Chief Justice of India to reconsider the Supreme Court Collegium proposal to transfer Justice Sharma to Calcutta High Court."While we are conscious of regular transfers in usual course of administration of justice, we have reasons to believe that this transfer does not fall in that category. We also have reasons to believe that this transfer is due to certain allegations that came to light touching the propriety and manner of functioning of the Learned Judge," they had said in their representation.However, the Central government then approved the transfer. Today was Justice Sharma's last day at Delhi High Court.Pertinently, President of the HCBA Ashok Kumar Dhandhania had earlier distanced himself from the Bar bodies' decision to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Sharma.
Calcutta High Court lawyers on Friday decided to withdraw their joint decision to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma after Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam urged them to reconsider their call in the interest of unity..Justice Sharma was recently transferred to the Calcutta High Court from the Delhi High Court despite opposition from the Bar Library Club, the High Court Bar Association and the Incorporated Law Society of Calcutta.After the Collegium proposal was cleared by the Central government, the three bodies on April 1 resolved to not participate in the judge's swearing-in ceremony. The decision had prompted Chief Justice Sivagnanam to urge the Bar bodies to reconsider their decision. "Let us all unite to make our institution proud," he wrote to them on Thursday.Justice Sivagnanam also had reminded the lawyers that the High Court has the history of welcoming the judges from outside."I am writing this letter to impress upon you to reconsider your decision especially keeping in mind the rich culture of Bengal in welcoming and embracing people of all walks of life to this glorious land of heritage and culture. I am a beneficiary of such love, hospitality and affection.".The Bar bodies responded positively to Chief Justice Sivagnanam's letter. The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) today convened an urgent General Body Meeting to consider the matter."In the said Urgent General Body meeting it was unanimously decided that to pay respect to the request of the Hon'ble Chief Justice the General Body is of the view that the members of the Bar Association High Court Calcutta will attend the Swearing-in Ceremony of Hon'ble Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma and will cooperate His Lordship for dispensation of justice in our High Court. In view of today's resolution the letter dated Ist April, 2025 issued by the three wings of the Bar become ineffective so far as the Bar Association High Court Calcutta is concern," HCBA Secretary Sankar Prasad Dalapati said in a response to the Chief Justice..Similarly, the Incorporated Law Society of Calcutta announced that its members would be free to attend the ceremony. However, its office bearers would not attend the event."Your Lordship's letter was placed before our Council members, who were touched by the emotion and warmth expressed by Your Lordship. We greatly value Your Lordship's feeling about being part of our glorious Institution and its legacy and we heartily reciprocate Your Lordship's feelings. We consider ourselves lucky to have You as our Hon'ble Chief Justice," President Dipnarayan Mittra said in response to the Chief Justice's letter.The letter adds,"In view of the aforesaid and particularly, in view of impassioned request contained in Your Lordship's letter dated 3rd April, 2025. We withdraw our letter dated 1st April, 2025 and our members would be free to attend the Swearing in Ceremony or participate in proceeding, as they may deem fit and proper. We, however, regret to inform Your Lordship that our Council Members/Office Bearers would be unable to be part of the Oath Ceremony. Hope your Lordship would not misunderstand us.".However, Bar Library Club said its General Body has decided that it may not be possible for its members to attend the swearing-in ceremony."In view of the above, we regret our inability to have any of our office bearers addressing at the ceremony. We however assure Your Lordship our support and cooperation in all other matters," Honorary Secretary Sabyasachi Chaudhury wrote back to the Chief Justice.Speaking to Bar & Bench, Chaudhury said that the Bar Library Club is a comparatively smaller body, with about 300 members..The three bar bodies had earlier written to the Chief Justice of India to reconsider the Supreme Court Collegium proposal to transfer Justice Sharma to Calcutta High Court."While we are conscious of regular transfers in usual course of administration of justice, we have reasons to believe that this transfer does not fall in that category. We also have reasons to believe that this transfer is due to certain allegations that came to light touching the propriety and manner of functioning of the Learned Judge," they had said in their representation.However, the Central government then approved the transfer. Today was Justice Sharma's last day at Delhi High Court.Pertinently, President of the HCBA Ashok Kumar Dhandhania had earlier distanced himself from the Bar bodies' decision to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Sharma.
