[BREAKING] Gujarat High Court Bar to abstain from work indefinitely against proposed transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel

The Gujarat High Court Advocates Association (GHCAA) has decided to abstain from work indefinitely in protest against the Supreme Court Collegium's proposal to transfer Justice Nikhil S Kariel from Gujarat to Patna High Court..The decision was taken at an urgent meeting of the GHCAA convened at 2 pm today.The GHCAA also resolved to make a representation to the Supreme Court judges who hail from Gujarat High Court.A representation will be made to Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court to convey the anguish of the Bar to the Supreme Court Collegium..Bar & Bench had reported earlier today about the Collegium's decision to transfer Justice Kariel from Gujarat to Patna High Court..After coming to know about the news, hundreds of advocates, including Senior Advocates, had gathered in the court hall of Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court to register their protest against the move.When Chief Justice (CJ) Arvind Kumar asked why they had assembled in court, a Senior Advocate Mihir Thakore highlighted the proposed transfer and said that it is the death of independence of judiciary for which they wished to observe two minutes of silence."With the transfer of Justice Kariel, there has been a death of independence of judiciary. We are here to observe two minutes silence for the same," Thakore said..Subsequently, the GHCAA met at 2 pm and resolved to abstain from work."To abstain from court proceedings instantaneously i.e. from 02:30 PM today and to further have a representation sent to Chief Justice of India and other Judges of the Collegium and other Judges of this court who are now presiding as Judges of Supreme Court to reconsider the recommendation of transfer of Justice Kariel," the resolution passed by GHCAA said..The Bar body also resolved that a delegation of five members of Bar with which would include the president and the secretary of GHCAA would be flying to Delhi to meet the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and request him to reconsider the transfer."It is reiterated that the transfer of such honest and upright Judge for which the entire Bar is vouching in one voice is not in right taste and is being strongly opposed as it strikes at the Rule of Law and Independence of Judiciary which are two prime edifice on which our Constitution rests. It is also resolved that the delegation may convey the feeling of the Bar to all concerned including CJI and other Judges of the collegium," the resolution stated.Further, GHCAA has also decided to postpone the elections to the various posts of its committee till further date in view of the strike. The elections were scheduled to take place on November 18.Besides, the advocates would also be staging protest near the High Court's entry gate on Monday morning before its second meeting on the issue..[Read Resolution]