Meghalaya bar associations expel Advocate General Amit Kumar, ask State to fire him

The High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association and Shillong Bar Association have removed State's Advocate General (AG) Amit Kumar from their roll of advocates and also asked the government to remove him as the State's top law officer..In a recent resolution passed after a joint extraordinary general body meeting held on August 5, the bar bodies said Kumar had made generalised statements claiming that bar associations have failed to protect women lawyers and provide them a safe environment . Over 400 advocates attended the meeting. “Resolved that the name of Shri Amit Kumar be and is hereby removed from the roll of advocates of both the High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association and the Shillong Bar Association and he shall no longer be a member of the said Associations, and it [is] hereby resolved that all members of the both the bar associations henceforth do not recognize Shri Amit Kumar as Advocate General for the State of Meghalaya," the resolution said. .Advocate General Kumar is alleged to have targeted the bar associations during the hearing of a suo motu case initiated by the High Court in relation to physical assault and parading of an advocate on streets of Shillong. The advocate was earlier accused of molesting an intern.After the accused advocate was taken out of his chamber and paraded allegedly by members of Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), the High Court bar association as well as the Shillong Bar Association had written a representation to the Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere alleging inaction by State authorities.During a hearing of the suo motu case on July 31, a bench of Chief Justice Dere and Justice W Diengdoh observed that the police prima facie appeared to have failed to act despite being present when the incident took place. During the hearing of the matter on August 3, Advocate General Kumar told the Court that four persons belonging to HNYF were arrested in the case. .However, since the entire controversy is connected to sexual harassment of an intern, Kumar is also said to have blamed bar bodies for failing to protect women advocates. A source familiar with the developments at the High Court said the bar bodies initially asked Kumar to explain on what basis he had made such statements before the Court. Kumar’s response is alleged to have aggravated the matter, leading to his removal as a member of the bar associations.“He had said in the court that the Bar has failed and there are many incidents of such kind happening in Meghalaya. But such things don’t happen over here. It was one of a kind incident. The Bar didn’t go to court in any way to support the accused advocate but only because non-State actors had paraded him,” the source said..During the hearing of the matter on August 3, the bar representatives told the Court that they are committed to the safety and dignity of women advocates practicing within the State as well as young lady interns. The Court then impleaded both the State Bar Council as well as the Bar Council of India as party respondents in the suo motu case and asked them to address it on the safety and dignity of practicing women advocates/girl interns in various courts. The matter will be heard next on August 19.Meanwhile, the bar bodies are waiting for the State's response to its demand seeking removal of Advocate General Amit Kumar.