Justice Sanjib Banerjee, the Chief Justice of Madras High Court, was on Monday transferred as the next Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court. The Department of Justice in the Law Ministry tweeted about the transfer of Justice Banerjee.
“In exercise of the power conferred under the Constitution of India, Hon. President of India, in consultation with Hon. Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Shri Justice Sanjib Banerjee, CJ, Madras, HC as CJ, Meghalaya, HC," the Department of Justice said, citing the notification. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court Collegium had recommended the transfer of Justice Banerjee to the Meghalaya High Court. This decision snowballed into a controversy with voices for and against the shifting of the senior judge.
Two major lawyers’ bodies in Chennai- the Madras High Court Advocates Association (MHAA), the largest one with a membership of over 20,000 advocates, and the Madras Bar Association, an elite group of advocates — had joined the chorus and passed resolutions protesting against the collegium’s recommendation to shift the CJ. Over 30 senior advocates of the High Court have also joined those protesting against the transfer.
Over 200 advocates had written to the CJI and the collegium protesting against Justice Banerjee’s transfer to Meghalaya High Court and urging them to reconsider the matter. There were voices in support of the transfer as well.
Justice Ranjit V More had retired as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court on November 3 and Justice H S Thangkhiew was appointed as the acting chief justice of the Meghalaya High Court with effect from November 4.
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