Letter to CJ Nagu: Bar Council raps High Court Bar Assn secy

The controversy centres around a letter dated October 24, in which Jammu, on behalf of the Bar Association, expressed “sincere gratitude” for what he described as a “long-awaited and transparent” decision to confer senior designations. Calling the move a “milestone,” he said it reflected the Chief Justice’s “sincere commitment to recognising merit, talent and professional excellence” across diverse areas of law — civil, criminal, constitutional, and specialised branches.

However, the Bar Council, in a strongly worded communication dated October 26, demanded a “comprehensive written explanation” from Jammu within seven days. The council said the letter appeared to have been issued in his “individual or personal capacity,” without the approval of the Bar Association’s executive committee or General House, and without any authorising resolution.

Such unilateral action, the council noted, raised “serious concerns” about propriety and consistency with its own resolutions, warning that it risked creating a “possible misimpression” that the views expressed were those of the Bar Association as a whole.