Cal HC Bar divided over joining judge DK Sharma’s swearing-in ceremony

Kolkata: Three Bar associations at the Calcutta High Court are now apparently divided over the issue of attending the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, against whom they had said exists “serious allegations of impropriety” and had thus earlier decided to boycott the event.

On Friday, two letters came to surface that seemed to have changed the course of the pledge earlier taken by the three associations: Bar Library Club, Bar Association and Incorporated Law Society.

The president of Bar Association, High Court, Calcutta, Ashok Kumar Dhandhania wrote a letter on April 3 to the Chief Justice of the court, TS Sivagnanam, that the April 1 letter expressing inability to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Justice DK Sharma was issued without his knowledge. He said he personally felt that such was against the values and ethos of Bengal and does not want to insult the “honourable guest” who is coming to Kolkata as the new judge of Calcutta High Court. He confirmed his attendance at the ceremony. Another letter was from the CJ TS Sivagnanam to all the three wings. He requested them to reconsider their decision of boycotting the swearing-in ceremony, keeping in mind the rich culture of Bengal in welcoming and embracing people of all walks of life to this “glorious land of heritage and culture”. “Our High Court is the oldest premier Chartered High Court and has always welcomed Hon’ble Judges from other High Courts who in their turn became our very own and have carried forward the legacy of this institution,” he wrote.

Following such exchanges, on Friday, a general body meeting was held by all three bar associations on the same matter but the outcome of such led to different decisions which were conveyed to the Chief Justice. The Bar Library Club wrote that though it has decided to withdraw the previous resolution, it won’t be possible for their members to attend the swearing-in-ceremony.

The Incorporated Law Society too withdrew its previous resolution and said its members would be free to attend the ceremony. However, their council members/office bearers won’t be able to attend.

The Bar Association, HC, Calcutta confirmed that its members will attend the swearing-in ceremony and withdrew the earlier resolution.