Latur Bar Association Observes Strike On Friday Protesting Justice Tahilramani's Transfer

Latur Bar Association wrote a "Letter of Protest" to the Registrar, Supreme Court of India and the President of India dated September 11 stating-

"The manner in which Hon'ble Justice VK Tahilramani was transferred from one of the country's charter High Courts to a much much smaller High Court creates shadow on the independence of judiciary especially when Justice VK Tahilramani was due to retire on September 2020.

My lords, the aforesaid transfer in the name of better administration of justice lacked grace, and whatever the reason, it is ex-facie suggestive of humiliation."

Justice Tahilramani was born in Latur on October 3, 1958. She was elevated as a Judge of the Bombay High Court on June 26, 2001. She was transferred as Chief Justice of Madras High Court on July 20, 2018.

Speaking to Livelaw, Advocate Uday Gaware, ex-President of the Latur Bar Association confirmed that advocates from other bar associations apart from members of District Bar Association, Latur advocates abstained from judicial work in protest of the said "unceremonious" transfer.

Justice Tahilramani resigned in protest of the transfer, she made her intentions public during a dinner hosted by six Madras HC judges, who were made permanent recently.

The collegium consisting of CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SA Bobde, NV Ramana, Arun Mishra and RF Nariman rejected Justice Tahilramani's request to reconsider the transfer proposal, which was made on August 28.

The collegium said "it is not possible to accede to her request", while reiterating the proposal.

The said protest by advocates is not the first in the country, advocates of the Madras High Court and other sub-ordinate courts have already written to the Supreme Court requesting re-consideration of the decision to transfer Justice Tahilramani.