A quiet storm is gathering in Karnataka’s legal circles as the Bar in Dharwad raises its voice against murmurs of a judicial reshuffle that’s yet to be confirmed. The rumored transfer of four Karnataka High Court judges—Justices Krishna S Dixit, K Natarajan, Hemant Chandangoudar, and Sanjay Gowda—has stirred deep discontent among advocates, prompting a direct appeal to the country’s highest judicial office.
In a strongly worded letter to the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, the President of the Advocates Association at the Dharwad Bench, VM Sheelavant, warned of the consequences if the reported transfers are carried out. Though no official word has come from the Supreme Court Collegium, the very possibility has set off alarm bells within the legal community.
Calling the judges “some of the best legal minds” in the Karnataka High Court, the Bar expressed disbelief and disappointment at what it sees as a misguided step. According to Sheelavant, the bench would be robbed of rare qualities—integrity, empathy, legal finesse, and a commitment to justice—that have earned these judges widespread respect.
“This move,” the letter stated, “would not only disrupt the functioning of the High Court but also cripple the morale of both advocates and the litigant public who depend on a stable and effective judicial system.”
The Association isn’t mincing words. The tone of the protest is unequivocal: these judges must remain where they are. Any attempt to shift them, the Bar argues, would not only be regressive but would also “throw a spanner in the wheel” of justice in the state.
For now, the Collegium remains silent. But the legal community in Karnataka has made its stance unmistakably clear—they’re not letting go without a fight.