Delhi HC Bar Association condemns Justice S Muralidhar's transfer; to abstain from work

recommendation of Supreme Court collegium to transfer Justice S Muralidhar of Delhi High Court to Punjab & Haryana High Court has created quite a flutter in legal circles. In an urgent meeting of its Executive Committee on Wednesday, Delhi High Court Bar Association resolved to abstain from work on February 20 to protest against Justice Muralidhar’s transfer. Describing him as one of “finest” judges, Association claimed that SC Collegium’s move was detrimental to institution. 

resolution mentioned that such transfers impeded free and fair delivery of justice. It expressed hope that SC Collegium would reconsider transfer. Furrmore, Association alleged that this transfer was a “rarest of rare” case. If Centre decides to send back Justice Muralidhar's file, Collegium can eir reiterate its recommendation or do a rethink. 

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Justice Muralidhar's career

Commencing his law practice in September 1984 in Chennai, he shifted to national capital in 1987. reafter, he worked as a lawyer in many high-profile cases such as Bhopal Gas Disaster and Narma displacement. Moreover, he served as counsel for National Human Rights Commission and Election Commission of India. In 2003, he was awarded PhD degree by Delhi University. His book `Law, Poverty and Legal Aid: Access to Criminal Justice' was published by LexisNexis Butterworths in August 2004. Subsequently, he was elevated as a judge of Delhi High Court in 2006.  

As a judge, he delivered many landmark verdicts such as  Hashimpura massacre case and  decriminalisation of homosexuality. He has also been at receiving end of criticism in recent times. For instance, he set aside transit remand of activist Gautam Navlakha in Bhima Koregoan- Elgar Parish case in 2018.

reafter, S Gurumurthy- w a n-official director on Reserve Bank of India Board publicly questioned this verdict. He alleged that order was influenced by alleged association between Navlakha and Usha Ramanathan, Justice Muralidhar’s wife. latter has been at forefront of opposing Ahaar programme.  

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