HC notice to Bar Association on PILs

The Gauhati High Court today issued a notice to the Gauhati High Court Bar Association and other respondents on two PILs challenging the Association's decision to abstain from Chief Justice K S Rao's court.
A HC division bench of Justice T Vaipehei and Justice Suman Shyam, after hearing the two PILS, issued notice to all respondents and fixed the cases for further hearing on September 30.
The first PIL was filed by advocates Benu Dhar Das, Pallab Bhowmik, Runjun Deka and Sumita Gohain Baruah challenging the Association's resolution to abstain from all courts from 2 p.M to 4.30 p.M on August 17 and to abstain from the court of the Chief Justice from that day till his retirement.

The challenge was made on the ground that the resolution to abstain from the High Court is in violation of a judgement passed by the Supreme Court in the case of former Captain Harish Uppal vs Union of India and others.
The second PIL was filed by senior advocate Bhaskar Dev Konwar who challenged the Association's August 17 resolution and the proceedings of its emergent extra-ordinary meeting whereby he (Konwar) was suspended from its roll pending drawal of disciplinary proceedings.
Senior Advocate Niloy Dutta appeared for the Association and questioned the maintainability of the PILs.
The Association had on August 17 decided to indefinitely boycott the court room of Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao to protest against his decision to shift all PILs of Itanagar and Kohima benches to the Assam capital.

The Association had also protested against another decision of the Chief Justice to appoint an amicus curiae for all PILs registered at the Gauhati High Court.