UP Bar Council urges Supreme Court to transfer Allahabad High Court judge

The Bar Council of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has addressed a letter to the Supreme Court of India to urgently consider a demand to transfer Allahabad High Court judge Justice Sangeeta Chandra.

The State's Bar Council on Sunday passed a unanimous resolution demanding the judge's transfer from Allahabad High Court to any other High Court.

The resolution added that Justice Chandra should not be assigned any judicial work until she is transferred. A copy of the said resolution has been marked to the Supreme Court for necessary action.

The development arose in the wake of an order passed by a Bench led by Justice Chandra, whereby contempt of court proceedings were proposed against Senior Advocate SC Mishra.

The State Bar Council's resolution against the judge came after the Oudh Bar Association's uproar against Justice Chandra's alleged mistreatment of lawyers in the courtroom.

In particular, the district bar association had highlighted the judge's decision to propose the initiation of criminal contempt of court proceedings against Senior Advocate SC Mishra.

The State Bar Council has now supported the Oudh Bar Association in its demands.

"All members of the council, in protest of Hon'ble Justice Sangeeta Chandra's order, have decided that a letter be sent to the Hon'ble Chief Justice, Supreme Court, New Delhi requesting that Hon'ble Justice Sangeeta Chandra be transferred from Allahabad High Court to any other State High Court", the State Bar Council's September 29 resolution said.

On September 28, the Oudh Bar Association wrote a letter to Allahabad High Court's Chief Justice (CJ) Arun Bhansali, in which it sought the transfer of Justice Chandra over multiple complaints raised against her over her alleged inhumane conduct towards advocates.

The association, in its September 28 letter, highlighted the recent altercation that took place between Justice Chandra and and Senior Advocate SC Mishra during a hearing on Friday which led to Justice Chandra's Bench issuing an order calling for criminal contempt of court proceedings against Mishra.

[Read State Bar Council's letter]