Prayagraj (UP), Sep 30 (PTI) The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) on Monday sought the transfer of a Allahabad High Court judge who referred a matter to the chief justice to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against a senior advocate.
Passing a resolution in support of advocate Satish Chandra Mishra, the HCBA said a copy of it will be sent to the chief justice of India.
Recently, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court passed an order to initiate criminal contempt proceedings against the advocate, saying his conduct "has a tendency to scandalise and lower the dignity of the court", and referred the matter to the chief justice.
In a statement, the HCBA said, "An emergency meeting of the bar association was called on Monday to protest the criminal contempt order passed by Justice Sangeeta Chandra against senior advocate Satish Chandra Mishra." It was decided in the meeting that a letter would be written to the Supreme Court requesting the transfer of Justice Sangeeta Chandra to the high court of another state, the statement said.
HCBA president Anil Tiwari said, "The secretary of the association has been requested to send a copy of the resolutions passed in the meeting to the chief justice of the Supreme Court without delay." Earlier, the UP Bar Council expressed support to Mishra.
On Sunday, the council had met and unanimously passed a resolution in favour of the advocate.
The council demanded from the Chief Justice of India that Justice Sangeeta Chandra be transferred to another state.
It has also demanded that Justice Chandra should not be given any judicial work until she is transferred to another state. The council has sent a copy of its resolution to the CJI through the registrar general of the Supreme Court.
In the order, justices Chandra and BR Singh of the Lucknow bench observed that despite repeated requests, S C Mishra, senior advocate and former member of Parliament, did not desist from casting aspersion on the conduct of the court and making personal imputation of malice.
The bench passed the order while hearing a writ petition relating to a tender matter filed by Laxmi Security Guards Services firm.
Mishra, assisted by advocates Sunil Chaudhary and Prafulla Tiwari, was arguing the case on Friday on behalf of the petitioner firm, while senior advocate JN Mathur assisted by BK Singh was appearing for the contesting firm. PTI RAJ COR NAV SKY SKY