Bar-CJ standoff turns complicated

Gauhati High Court to hear today PILs challenging bar resolutions

OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, Aug 25: The standoff between the Gauhati High Court Bar Association and Chief Justice (acting) K Shreedhar Rao is set to get more complicated in the coming days with the full bench to hear a PIL tomorrow on the bar’s decision to abstain from Justice Rao’s court, as well as suspension of a member of the bar for breaking ranks to appear in Justice Rao’s court and later criticizing the bar’s decision.   

A day after the Gauhati High Court Bar Association moved the President and the Supreme Court against Chief Justice (Acting) K Shreedhar Rao and also suspended its member advocate Bhaskar Dev Konwar, Konwar on Tuesday filed a PIL in the High Court against the resolutions of the bar dated August 17 and August 24, to abstain from the court of Justice Rao and suspension of Bhaskar Dev Konwar respectively. A bench headed by Justice Rao and Justice PK Saikia admitted the PIL and the hearing will take place tomorrow.

In his PIL, Konwar has stated to the court of Justice Rao that though the suspension does not affect him persolly in any matter as he can effectively discharge his duties as a senior advocate without being a member of the bar, he has moved the PIL in larger public interest.

Briefing the media after the High Court admitted the PIL, Konwar said, “Chief Justice (Acting) Rao and Justice PK Saikia (division bench) took up PIL no 90/2015 and 91/2015, challenging the resolution of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association to abstain from the court of Hon’ble Chief Justice Rao till his retirement, and also resolution of August 24, 2015 about suspension of Bhaskar Dev Konwar as a member of the bar association. Considering larger public interest involved in the PILs, which have serious bearing on administrative justice, both the PILs have been referred to the largest bench with hearing of the PILs tomorrow.”

The PIL No. 90/2015 has been filed by one Benudhar Das against the Bar Association.

It may be mentioned that the bar passed a resolution on August 17 to abstain from the court of Justice Rao, a matter which was widely covered by the print and electronic media of the State. However, on August 21 Konwar appeared in the court of Justice Rao and later also widely criticized the resolution of the Bar. The bar on August 24 suspended Konwar on charges of alleged ‘misconduct’.