Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association seeks transfer of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha; resolves to boycott CJ Court until then

The Punjab & Haryana High Court Bar Association has demanded the transfer of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha to some other High Court. .The Association has decided that it will boycott Justice Jha's court until he is transferred out of the High Court. .The Executive Committee of the Bar Association passed a resolution to this effect on May 7. In this regard, an earlier resolution passed by the Bar Association on February 1, 2021 was revived. .The Bar association alleged that the working of the High Court during the COVID-19 pandemic has been very problematic and that important matters like those pertaining to bail, habeas corpus, and detention are not being listed. "More than 300 written complaints and numerous oral complaints have been received in the Office of thee Executive Committee regarding wrongful rejection of mentioning and use of pick and choose policy in allowing limited cases. The Bench strength has been reduced from 46 to 11 which means the court has reduced its working even on virtual mode resulting into further backlog of cases as Punjab & Haryana High Court is already having second highest pendency throughout the country," reads the resolution..The members also alleged that a 'pick and choose' policy is being implemented and only certain matters are being taken up."Apart from delaying the justice, the justice is being also denied through this arbitrary mentioning process and pick and choose policy. The Hon'ble Chief Justice has not co-operated with the Bar and have also taken least interest in the problems faced by the general public of States of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh.".The Association also warned that if any advocate/non-member appears in the Court of the Chief Justice even through video conference from May 20, it will "request the Bar Council concerned to take disciplinary action against that advocate.".On February 1, a similar resolution was passed to transfer the CJ out of the High Court in view of the continued reluctance of the High Court to resume physical functioning. .[Read the resolution passed by the Bar Association]