Transfer of Justice Muralidhar in this manner is "malafide and punitive", SCBA President Dushyant Dave

President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Dushyant Dave today opined that the transfer of Justice S Muralidhar out of the Delhi High Court is a "punitive action" against him by the government.

. In its statement dated February 12, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended the transfer of Justice Muralidhar from the Delhi High Court to the Punjab & Haryana High Court.

His transfer came to be notified by the Central government late on February 26, just hours after he presided over a hearing concerning the Delhi riots.

.Breaking: Centre notifies transfer of Justice S Muralidhar to Punjab & Haryana High Court. Justice Muralidhar’s transfer notification, passed mere hours after he pulled up the government during Wednesday’s hearing, has become a talking point.

. Talking to the media, Dave agreed that the transfer notification was part of the process, since the same had been proposed by the Collegium. However, he said that the haste with which it was notified on the same day that Justice Muralidhar passed strong orders against the government shows that it is "malafide and punitive".

. The notification for Justice Muralidhar's transfer was not the only one to be issued by the Centre yesterday. However, the timing of the same has brought the move under the spotlight.

. Justice Muralidhar's transfer, when it was proposed by the Collegium, had been met with resistance from various quarters of the legal fraternity. The Delhi High Court Bar Association had also resolved to abstain from court work for a day, in protest against the Collegium's recommendation.

.DHCBA resolves to go on strike tomorrow to protest Collegium's recommendation to transfer Justice S Muralidhar. With his transfer being notified last night, Justice Muralidhar sat as a Delhi High Court judge today for the last time to deliver a judgment.

.[Live from Delhi High Court] You are an inspiration, lawyers tell Justice Muralidhar as he sits as Delhi HC judge for the last time . This judgement, he said, was his "last judicial work in this Court (Delhi High Court)". A group of young lawyers bid goodbye to the Judge and thanked him for being an inspiration to them.

Transfer of Justice Muralidhar in this manner is "malafide and punitive", SCBA President Dushyant Dave

Shruti Mahajan

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