Judicial Rift Deepens: Gujarat Bar Challenges CJ Sunita Agarwal Over Justice Bhatt Transfer
(Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
In a significant development, the Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association (GHCAA) has formally opposed the proposed transfer of Justice Sandeep N. Bhatt to the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The association has been abstaining from judicial work since August 26, staging a protest against what it describes as an unjust and stigmatic transfer.
On Thursday, a delegation of senior lawyers from the Gujarat High Court met with Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justice Surya Kant in New Delhi. The purpose of the meeting was to urge the Supreme Court Collegium to reconsider its decision, which was reportedly made during its meeting on August 25–26.
The delegation comprised:
Brijesh Trivedi, President of GHCAA
Asim Pandya, Senior Advocate
Hardik Brahmbhatt, Advocate
Babubhai Mangukiya, Advocate
Dipen Dave, Advocate
Bhargav Bhatt, Advocate
They submitted a strongly worded representation expressing deep anguish and opposition to the transfer of Justice Bhatt, whom they described as “one of the most honest, industrious, courteous, and dignified judges” in the Gujarat judiciary. The representation emphasized that Justice Bhatt had disposed of over 19,000 cases since his elevation in October 2021, reflecting his dedication and efficiency.
“We hereby give some background as to what may or may not have been placed before the Hon’ble Judges of the Collegium or the real reason behind the entire issue of seeking transfer of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sandeep N. Bhatt may or may not have been properly placed before the Hon’ble Members of the Collegium. “The letter stated.
It is submitted that allegations Against Administrative Functioning the representation also raised serious concerns about the functioning of the administrative side of the Gujarat High Court, led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal. The lawyers alleged that Justice Bhatt’s transfer may have been precipitated by judicial orders he passed that were critical of the High Court’s internal administration.
One such incident involved Registrar A.T. Ukrani, who reportedly failed to return physical case files to the Surat court for over seven months following his transfer in 2019. Justice Bhatt had raised questions about this lapse, and shortly thereafter, his judicial roster was altered by CJ Agarwal. He was reassigned to a division bench headed by a senior judge, a move that prompted GHCAA to convene an emergency meeting and pass a resolution condemning the reassignment2.
Later, Justice Bhatt was shifted to the service matters jurisdiction, where he made observations regarding the non-implementation of CCTV installations in judicial departments. These remarks were subsequently expunged by a division bench, further fuelling concerns about administrative retaliation.
Expressing concerns over judicial independence the delegation argued that Justice Bhatt had maintained judicial decorum while raising valid concerns about transparency and accountability. They contended that his transfer, under such circumstances, would not only tarnish his reputation but also undermine the integrity of the justice delivery system.
The lawyers emphasized that judicial transfers are not routine matters, and any action perceived as punitive could erode public trust in the judiciary. Additional copies of the representation were submitted for other members of the Supreme Court Collegium who were unavailable during the meeting.
The delegation further submitted that We hereby give some background as to what may or may not have been placed before the Hon’ble Judges of the Collegium or the real reason behind the entire issue of seeking transfer of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sandeep N. Bhatt may or may not have been properly placed before the Hon’ble Members of the Collegium. Justice Bhatt’s Background Justice Sandeep N. Bhatt holds a Science degree from Kotak Science College, Rajkot (1988) and earned his law degree in 1992. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Gujarat in January 1993, beginning his legal career at the Rajkot District Court, where he practiced alongside his father, S.N. Bhatt. In 1994, he shifted his practice to the Gujarat High Court under the mentorship of the late Girish Bhai D. Bhatt, and was elevated to the bench in October 2021
