In a dramatic turn of events, the Oudh Bar Association has called for the transfer of Justice Sangeeta Chandra from the Allahabad High Court, citing her alleged mistreatment of lawyers. A formal letter addressed to Chief Justice Arun Bhansali, penned by the association’s General Secretary, Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, outlines the rising tension between Justice Chandra and several advocates, underscoring a growing unease over her conduct.
The flashpoint came during a recent hearing on September 27, when Senior Advocate Satish Chandra Mishra clashed with Justice Chandra, culminating in an order of criminal contempt against him. Mishra’s vocal dissent, following the court’s refusal to grant an interim order in his favor, sparked a tense exchange that prompted the judge to take action.
Despite Senior Advocate JN Mathur’s appeal to de-escalate the situation, urging Justice Chandra to reconsider initiating contempt proceedings, his plea was dismissed. The incident left the courtroom simmering, and the matter was swiftly escalated to the High Court’s Chief Justice for further proceedings against Mishra.
The Bar Association’s letter claims this is just one example in a series of complaints about Justice Chandra’s behavior towards lawyers, raising questions about the working environment in the court and the treatment of its legal professionals.