Jharkhand HC lawyers protest against hiring of ‘outsiders’ as judges

The Jharkhand High Court Advocates Association has been protesting against the hiring of lawyers from outside the state as judges at the high court, boycotting the courts of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao, Justices Sujit Narayan Prasad and Rongon Mukhopadhyay. All the three judges are part of the collegium that recommends judges for elevation.

The advocates association which is protesting against the appointment of judges said that the collegium had taken a resolution against any such appointments but agreed to appoint at least two Supreme Court lawyers as judges.

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As quoted by Bar & Bench, A letter by the Association read: “As you are aware, our Association has consistently maintained that the appointment of judges to the Jharkhand High Court should duly consider qualified and experienced regular practitioners/ advocates from within our Bar who possess intimate knowledge of local laws, customs, and socio-economic realities of Jharkhand.”

“This position is not merely a matter of regional preference but stems from our commitment to ensuring effective administration of justice that is sensitive to the unique needs and challenges of our state,” it read.