Ahmedabad: A reported face-off between Bhavnagar principal district judge H S Muliya and the Bar Council of Gujarat’s third-time elected member, Anirudhsinh Zala, during the latter’s victory procession on March 23 has led the subordinate judiciary to condemn the incident.The Surat District Bar Association, meanwhile, has criticized the judges’ position and extended its support to Zala by terming the judge’s alleged effort of stopping the victory procession as “an attack on lawyers’ prestige”. The principal district judge at Bhavnagar reportedly came out of his office when there was loud music during Zala’s victory procession and asked not to disturb the court proceedings. The BCG member instead asked his supporters to continue with the celebration and asked the district judge not to interfere. The Gujarat Judicial Service Association, Ahmedabad (GJSA), has condemned Zala’s behaviour with the judicial officer and stated, “Such act constitutes an actionable contempt and is also a direct assault on the independence, dignity, security, and functioning of the judiciary.” In a resolution passed on March 24, the association requested all the authorities concerned, including the BCG, “to ensure immediate and stringent action in the matter and also urge the high court of Gujarat to intervene and take contempt action for the same”. The association’s resolution has evoked a strong response from the Surat District Bar Association, which has written a letter to the Bhavnagar District Bar Association declaring support for Zala regarding the incident that occurred during his victory procession. Regarding the judge’s gesture, the Bar stated in its letter, “During the rally, the principal district judge came out on the street and tried to stop the procession; it is unfortunate. Trying to disrupt the victory procession of a democratically elected leader of the legal fraternity is akin to attack on lawyers’ prestige.” The letter further reads, “The resolution passed by the Gujarat Judicial Service Association appears to be one-sided. The relation between the Bench and the Bar should be based on mutual respect, and not on fear and pressure.”
