Synopsis
On March 10, the Kerala High Court Advocates' Association held a meeting where they demanded the transfer of Justice A. Badharudeen following a controversial incident involving a female advocate. Despite reconciliation efforts, the association remains firm in their request for his transfer and initiated disciplinary action against a leading member.Key Takeaways
- KHCAA calls for Justice Badharudeen's transfer.
- Incident involving a female advocate sparked outrage.
- Chief Justice A.J. Thomas attempted reconciliation.
- Resolution passed to request transfer from the Chief Justice of India.
- Disciplinary action initiated against George Poonthottam.
Kochi, March 10 (NationPress) The Kerala High Court Advocates' Association (KHCAA) convened a special meeting on Monday, where they unanimously adopted a resolution urging the transfer of Justice A. Badharudeen from the state.
The issue ignited controversy after an incident earlier this month involving a female advocate requesting additional time to amend the vakalath, following the passing of her husband, advocate Alex M. Scaria, in January.
Justice Badharudeen's alleged brusque response left the advocate in tears, triggering significant outrage among KHCAA's members.
On Friday, the association called for a boycott of the judge’s courtroom and insisted on a public apology.
To alleviate the situation, Chief Justice A.J. Thomas initiated reconciliation discussions, which included senior advocate George Poonthottam, who spearheaded the boycott.
The Chief Justice later met with the distressed lawyer, who subsequently informed KHCAA that the matter need not be pursued any further. She appealed to KHCAA to halt any contemplated actions regarding the incident.
Following this, Justice Badharudeen expressed sincere regret in front of the Chief Justice.
Notwithstanding this resolution, KHCAA president Yeshwanth Shenoy, who was not part of the meeting with the Chief Justice, voiced his dissatisfaction in a letter to association members.
He called for a special meeting on early Monday, where a resolution was adopted to formally appeal to the Chief Justice of India for Justice Badharudeen's transfer from Kerala.
Although court sessions resumed in Justice Badharudeen's court on Monday, KHCAA decided to push for his transfer.
Furthermore, the Association resolved to suspend and initiate disciplinary action against Poonthottam for his involvement in the reconciliation attempts. They also reiterated their demand for the mandatory video recording of court proceedings.
