Kerala HC lawyers accuse judge of insulting advocate who recently lost husband
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Kochi: The Kerala High Court Advocates' Association filed a complaint with Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar on Friday, accusing Justice A Badharudeen of abusing a lawyer in open court. Advocates boycotted Justice Badharudeen's court on Friday in protest over the alleged incident from Thursday.
The general body meeting of the association held on Friday demanded that the judge apologise to the lawyer in open court.
The association said that on Thursday, the court insulted attorney Saritha Thomas when she asked for more time for Vakalath because her husband, Alex Scaria, who accepted the case's brief and appeared in a prior hearing, died in January of this year.
In response to Saritha Thomas' request, Justice Badharudeen allegedly insulted her by asking "Who is Alex Scaria" and continuing the proceedings. Saritha Thomas, who was in tears at one point, had to argue her case, Indian Express reported.
In the complaint to the Chief Justice, association president Yeshwanth Shenoy stated, “The association has received several complaints from its members against Justice Badharudeen with regard to his misconduct and misbehaviour with advocates in the courtroom. Most of the complaints are about humiliation and insensitivity they face in the court of Justice Badharudeen. The conduct of Justice Badharudeen improved for a while, but unfortunately the association was inundated with complaints of his misbehaviour in recent times.”
The association, which convened on Friday morning, was informed that Justice Badharudheen was prepared to apologise to the advocate in his chambers.
However, “As the insult and humiliation happened in the open court, the apology also should be in the open court. The conduct of Justice Badharudheen is not isolated, and by his conduct, he has consistently lowered the reputation of the judicial institution itself.. We bring to your lordship’s attention the fact that this bar has not reacted in such an overwhelming manner before this and the reason for such overwhelming response is the pent-up frustration building up over a period of time,” the complaint said.
The group stated that if the judge did not apologise, an in-house procedure would be begun, and advocates would refuse to appear before his court until the matter was resolved in accordance with the law.
G Gopakumar, the High Court Registrar-General, stated that Justice Badharudeen was on leave on Friday. “It is up to the Chief Justice to take a decision on the complaint of the association against Justice Badharudeen,” he said.