The Krishnagiri District Bar Association has announced a complete boycott of courts from Wednesday to demand the transfer of Principal District Judge (PDJ) Kamalavathi, accusing her of being high-handed. On Wednesday, over 120 lawyers of the Bar also sat on a hunger strike outside the court premises to press the demand.
Earlier, in a petition dated August 10, 2017 to the Madras High Court, the Bar Association alleged that the Judge had indulged in high-handed acts, and used unparliamentary words in open court against members of the bar, clients and court staff. The petition also cited an instance on July 24, wherein such words were allegedly used by the Judge.
Following this, the petition had said that the Bar Association, in order to preserve its “self respect and dignity” had passed a resolution to boycott court proceedings before the PDJ and sought her immediate transfer.
Bar Association president K.R. Pandian told The Hindu that the lawyers had been boycotting court presided by the PDJ for over a month. However, with no action on the petition to Madras High Court Judges, the lawyers were compelled to go on a complete boycott of courts from Wednesday. A resolution to this effect was passed on Tuesday.
The Hindu attempted calling the PDJ's office several times, but there was no response.
