Maharashtra: Advocates association slams govt for seeking transfer of ‘biased’ judge in noise pollution case

The Advocates’ Association of Western India has condemned the Maharashtra government for accusing a Bombay High Court judge of being biased and seeking transfer of the noise pollution rules matters, and asked the chief justice to take appropriate action in the issue.

Chief Justice Manjula Chellur on August 24 transferred all petitions pertaining to noise pollution rules to another bench following the government’s request.

The government had filed an application before the chief justice alleging that Justice A S Oka, who was hearing the petitions, was “harbouring a serious bias against the state machinery in this matter”.

While Justice Oka had refused to recuse himself from the case, the chief justice passed an administrative order transferring all the petitions to a special bench of justices Anoop Mohta and G S Kulkarni.

The AAWI passed a resolution after holding an emergency meeting today condemning the state government’s move.

“The managing committee strongly condemns the government of Maharashtra’s tactic in alleging bias against Justice A S Oka at a point of time where the matter was substantially heard,” the resolution passed by AAWI read.

“The committee further condemns the irresponsible, unethical, capricious stand taken by the government of Maharashtra in an ongoing litigation with an intention to malign …read more