Oudh Bar Association To Abstain From Judicial Work For 2 Days To Oppose Proposal To Elevate SC Advocates As Allahabad HC Judges

The Oudh Bar Association has resolved to abstain from judicial work for 2 days as a mark to protest against the proposal sent by the High Court collegium to the Supreme Court Collegium to elevate certain advocates who are not practicing before the Allahabad High Court (either of the benches).

The decision to abstain from judicial work comes in the backdrop of a letter written by the President of the Oudh Bar Association, Rakesh Chaudhary recently to the CJI UU Lalit requesting him not to propose the elevation of advocates practicing in the Supreme Court as Allahabad High Court Judges.

The proposal to abstain from work was passed in an emergent meeting of the executive body that took place today at 1:30 PM under the Chairmanship of the Association, Mr. Chaudhary. 

It may be noted that in an earlier resolution of the OBA dated 11.03.2022, it was resolved and a request was made to the Chief Justice that while recommending the members from the Bar for elevation, only those persons to be considered who are regularly practicing before the Hon'ble High Court Judicature at Allahabad (sitting both at Allahabad and Lucknow).

However, today it was discussed in the meeting that certain advocates who are not practicing before the High court (either at Lucknow or at Allahabad) and do not appear before the judges, who are part of HC Collegium have been recommended for elevation and therefore, it was decided by the bar to abstain from work for two days.

"This practice, tacks objective assessment of an individual and is arbitrary exercise of power The executive Committee resolved that the learned member of the bar are left with no option but to abstain from judicial work for two days on 16.09.2022 (Friday) and 17.09.2022 (Saturday), to get their voice heard. This is a call to save the institution, and for the public cause, All the members of the bar are requested to co-operate and strictly follow the resolution," the resolution passed by the Association reads.

As per the report of The Indian Express, the Allahabad High Court recommended the names of 16 lawyers for appointment as judges of the high court. The report says that in the first week of September, the Collegium, led by Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal had sent its list which includes a woman lawyer.