High Court Bar to Boycott Justice Yashwant Verma’s Swearing-in Ceremony
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh): The High Court Bar Association has decided to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Yashwant Verma, who has been transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. Lawyers will not participate in the event. Bar President Anil Tiwari announced that, in the interest of litigants, the Photo Affidavit Center will be reopened from Saturday. Additionally, a meeting with senior advocates has been scheduled for Saturday at 4 PM to discuss the continuation of the work boycott, plan further protests, and decide the next course of action.
This decision was taken at an emergency executive meeting held at the residence of Bar President Anil Tiwari, which lasted until 12:30 AM. Junior Advocate Dharmendra Shukla and Vice President Agnihotri Kumar Tripathi informed that the meeting was initially scheduled for 9 PM but was delayed due to Anil Tiwari’s late arrival from Delhi. The meeting was convened after the Law Ministry issued a notification regarding Justice Yashwant Verma’s transfer, which further fueled the lawyers’ anger. Earlier in the day, the lawyers’ strike at the High Court continued for the fourth consecutive day.
Court Proceedings Severely Affected for the Fourth Consecutive Day
Due to the lawyers’ strike, the functioning of the High Court was severely disrupted for the fourth day in a row. In the morning, the Chief Justice’s bench and other judges took their seats in the courtrooms, but due to the lawyers’ boycott, they left the courtroom after some time and returned to their chambers. Litigants from far-flung districts of the state were left disappointed once again due to the ongoing strike.
As part of the protest, lawyers held a demonstration in front of Gate No. 3, reiterating their demands. The speakers insisted on withdrawing the recommendation for Justice Yashwant Verma’s transfer from Delhi to Allahabad High Court, transferring judges whose relatives are practicing law at the Allahabad High Court to other courts, resolving the issue of case listing, and ensuring that cases filed earlier are heard first. A resolution covering these four demands was also passed during the protest.
Further Strategy to be Decided in Saturday’s Meeting
In an official statement released in the evening, the High Court Bar Association announced that an executive meeting had been scheduled at 9 PM at the Bar President’s residence to decide the future course of action. When President Anil Tiwari arrived at his residence around 11:30 PM, he held discussions with waiting office-bearers and executive members.
During the daytime protest at Gate No. 3, the demonstration was presided over by Senior Vice President Rajesh Khare, while General Secretary Vikrant Pandey and Vice President Akhilesh Kumar Mishra conducted the proceedings. Several advocates, including Abhishek Tiwari, Santosh Kumar Mishra, Shashi Prakash Singh, and Prashant Singh Rinku, addressed the gathering.
The general meeting was attended by Vice Presidents Agnihotri Kumar Tripathi, Subhash Chandra Yadav, Neeraj Tripathi, and Neelam Shukla, along with Joint Secretaries Sumit Srivastava, Abhijeet Pandey, Puneet Shukla, and Anchal Ojha, Treasurer Ranvijay Singh, executive committee members, and a large number of lawyers.