Gujarat HC Advocates Likely To Meet Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad To Press For Justice Kureshi As MP HC CJ

The Gujarat High Court Advocates Association (GHCAA) has resolved to submit a representation before Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for an immediate notification of Justice Kureshi's appointment as the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court.

It has also constituted a committee of 10 advocates under the leadership of senior advocate and GHCAA President Yatin Oza to make the representation.

According to the GHCAA resolution, “If nothing turns out positively after meeting with the Hon'ble Law Minister of India, the Bar will be left with no option but to abstain from work for a day and also to file writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India in the Hon'ble Supreme Court on the subject”.

Earlier, the GHCAA had passed a resolution protesting the delay in notifying the appointment of Justice A Kureshi as the Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court, which was recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium on May 10.

GHCAA President Yatin Oza had also announced the decision of the bar to resort to an indefinite strike over the transfer of Justice Kureshi, which was withdrawn only after Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi met GHCAA representatives.

The GHCAA has stated that the Centre has “purposefully” held back clearance of the file of Hon'ble Justice Kureshi, which is “unconstitutional” and “lacks in bona fide”.

It has expressed “shock” at the Centre's appointment of Justice Ravi Shankar Jha as the Acting Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh High Court after the retirement of Justice S K Seth as Chief Justice, overlooking the pending proposal of Justice Kureshi.

Justice Kureshi, a senior judge of Gujarat High Court, was transferred to Bombay High Court last October, amidst protests from the bar. The Gujarat High Court Advocates Association had moved a resolution protesting Justice Kureshi's transfer as motivated by 'extraneous considerations'.

Incidentally, several bar members share the belief that Justice Kureshi is being sidelined due to adverse orders passed by him against the ruling dispensation.

In 2010, Justice Kureshi had given custodial remand of present Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Sohrabuddin case, by setting aside an order passed by a magistrate which had rejected CBI's plea for remand. He had also rejected the defence plea for videography of Shah's questioning during the CBI custody.