Gujarat High Court lawyers on strike from today against transfer of Justice Akil Kureshi

The association also decided that it will challenge the transfer order through a writ petition soon.

“The bar, upon detailed deliberation in its meeting held on November 1, 2018, unanimously finds no reason to justify his transfer from being seniormost puisne judge of the Gujarat High Court to number five judge in the Bombay High Court ostensibly in the interest of better administration of justice.” It said that the bar “believes that such a transfer is unjustified and certainly has no connection with better administration of justice”.

The association claimed that this transfer “impinges upon independence of judiciary”.

On October 29, the Supreme Court collegium had recommended the transfer of Justice Kureshi the Bombay High Court. He was the seniormost judge in the High Court following the elevation of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy to Supreme Court.

The Union government also issued a notification, transferring Justice Kureshi to the Bombay High Court. The notification, issued by the Union law ministry, stated “…the President, after consultation with the the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Justice Akil Kureshi, judge of Gujarat High Court, as judge of Bombay High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Bombay High Court on or before 15th November.”