GHCAA General Body Passes Unanimous Resolution Demands Immediate Transfer of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal

(Judicial Quest News Network)

An Extraordinary General Body Meeting was convened on February 17, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. at the Bar Room, under the leadership of Brijesh Trivedi, President of the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association (GHAA). The meeting was called to address recent concerns raised by media outlets such as Bar and Bench, Live Law, and Gujarat Samachar, Judicial Quest following a controversy highlighted in a letter from Senior Advocate Asim Pandya dated February 15, 2025.

The meeting began with the President in the chair, but objections were raised by some members regarding his presence due to the controversy surrounding the issue. Consequently, the Vice-President of GHAA was asked to chair the meeting in place of the President.

Members of the Bar were invited to share their views on the matter. Shri Asim Pandya proposed that a formal representation be made to the Hon’ble Chief Justice, requesting a recall of the decision in question and expressing the Bar’s displeasure. Following this, Shri Punit Juneja suggested passing a resolution to protect the independence of the judiciary.

Initially, Senior Counsel Yatin Oza expressed reservations about discussing the issue in the General Body, but later withdrew his opposition, leaving the matter to the discretion of the General Body. Other prominent figures, including Bharghav Bhatt, Dipen Dave, Percy Kavina, and various advocates, also contributed their opinions on the matter.

After a thorough discussion, President Brijesh Trivedi proposed a resolution, which was amended to include the words “including seeking transfer of the Hon’ble Chief Justice,” a suggestion that was supported by a majority of the members present. Despite some objections, a vote was held, and the majority voted in favour of the amendment.

The final resolution, passed unanimously, includes the following key points:

1. Restoring Public Faith: The House resolved that public faith in the judiciary must be restored by reversing the recent developments, which it believes have damaged the sanctity and independence of the judicial system.
2. Concerns Over Gujarat High Court’s Reputation: The House expressed grave concern about the negative impact of the recent incident on the reputation of the Gujarat High Court, leading to a loss of public confidence in the judicial system.
3. Representation to the Chief Justice of India: The House decided to make a representation to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India and other Collegium Judges of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, highlighting the incident and its effect on the image of justice administration.
4. Seeking Transfer of the Hon’ble Chief Justice: The resolution called for appropriate legal steps to be taken, including seeking the transfer of the Hon’ble Chief Justice, to ensure the restoration of public trust in the judiciary and to prevent such incidents from recurring.
5. Action and Accountability: The House resolved to send a copy of the resolution to the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India.

This resolution signifies the Bar’s collective stand on preserving the integrity and independence of the judiciary and ensuring that incidents affecting public confidence are addressed appropriately within the framework of the law.