Karnataka advocates up in arms against Chief Justice

Advocates in Karnataka are up in arms against Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph for not only casting aspersions on the legal fraternity in public functions, but also cracking below the belt jokes.

Taking serious exception to the unpalatable jokes and unnecessary public criticism of advocates by the Chief Justice, the Karnataka State Bar Council has resolvedto boycott all functions relating to the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Karnataka High Court to be attended by the Chief Justice.

The relationship between the advocates and the Chief Justice, which had been uneasy for the last few months, hit a new low recently when Cyriac Joseph held the advocates responsible for corruption in judiciary.The Chief Minister is reported to have said that judges cannot become corrupt without the assistance of lawyers.

During its recent meeting, the Karnataka State Bar Council not only discussed the remarks made by theChief Justice against the lawyers, but also his“unpalatable and undignified” jokes and anecdotes. Chairman of the Bar Council Sadashiva Reddy said the Bar had decided not to involve the Chief Justice in any of its programmes.

The Bar passed the resolution against the Chief Justice despite stiff resistence by Advocate General Uday Holla, who is also the ex-officio member of theBar Council. Holla, however, walked out of the meeting after his efforts to convince the members of the Barto desist from taking such a decision went in vain.

The advocates are also cut up with the Chief Justice for denying a respectable representation for the advocates during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Karnataka High Court. Though the advocates had contributed generously for the celebrations, they have been denied a place on the dais, according to vice chairman of Karnataka State Bar Council Mohan Limbikai.

After the Bar Council took a decision to boycott the Chief Justice, the advocates associations in various districts of the state have cancelled all Golden Jubilee celebrations in their areas. Such a resolution had been passed in Shimoga, Belgaum, Mangalore andBijapur already. More districts are expected to follow suit. Meanwhile, Bar Council Chairman Sadashiva Reddy told reporters that he had also received several complaints about the below the belt jokes cracked by the ChiefJustice.

One of the jokes narrated by the Chief Justice was about the plea a woman advocate makes while seeking an adjournment for a case. The woman advocate is quoted as saying “My Lord, I am very busy with one leg in Delhi and the other in Tamil Nadu”. The Chief Justice is said to have replied: “Then Madhya Pradesh must behaving all the fun”.