NEW DELHI, The Bar Council of India on Wednesday sought urgent intervention from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant following a “deeply disturbing” incident in which an Andhra Pradesh High Court judge reportedly sent a young lawyer to…
Judicial detention for 24 hours due to a procedural lapse.
Bar Council of India President and Senior Advocate Manan Kumar Mishra, in an official statement, described Justice Tarlada Rajasekhar Rao’s conduct as “grossly inappropriate” and “harming the confidence of the Bar Association”.
“I respectfully request Your Honor to please take immediate institutional cognizance of the matter and call for a video recording of the proceedings, the order passed, and the surrounding circumstances.
“I also request that appropriate administrative action be considered, including withdrawal of judicial action from the learned judge pending review, his immediate transfer to a distant High Court, and his nomination for appropriate judicial training/guidance on court administration, judicial temperament, inter-bar relations, and proportionate exercise of contempt/judicial authority,” Mishra wrote.
He added that this representation aims to preserve “the dignity of the judiciary, its moral authority, and the public’s confidence in it,” adding that “judges enjoy the highest levels of respect, not through fear, but through justice, patience, self-restraint, and constitutional humility.”
The communication urged the International Committee of Justice to intervene as soon as possible to ensure that the confidence of the Bar Association, especially young lawyers, in the preventive and corrective role of the judiciary is restored.
The controversy stems from actions that took place on May 5.
According to BCI, a video circulating online shows Justice Rao reprimanding a young lawyer who could not submit a specific order copy during the hearing.
Although the lawyer “repeatedly asked for forgiveness and mercy” and claimed to be in physical pain, the judge remained “unmoved,” the letter said.
The judge allegedly told the lawyer: “Now you will learn,” and mocked his experience before ordering the court registrar and police officers to detain him for 24 hours.
The BCI president said the judge’s actions lacked proportionality and justice.
“The dignity of the court is not enhanced when a lawyer is forced to plead for grace in open court and is then sent to custody due to a procedural error,” the letter said.
She added: “The young lawyer… is an employee of the court, he is still learning, he is still growing, and he has the right to be disciplined without humiliation.”
The Bar Association said such actions create a “chilling effect” on the legal fraternity, especially among junior members, and undermine the mutual respect required between the jury and the Bar.
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