Meghalaya High Court Bar Association, Shillong Bar Association: No SCBA Support for Advocate General Amit Kuma

• The Meghalaya High Court Bar Association and Shillong Bar Association rejected SCBA's support for Advocate General Amit Kumar.
• SCBA had urged the bar bodies to reconsider a joint resolution seeking action against Kumar over allegations of misconduct.
• Kumar was criticized by the bar associations for allegedly failing to provide a safe environment for women lawyers and female interns in Shillong.
• The Meghalaya bar bodies accused SCBA of setting a dangerous precedent by interfering in their internal affairs.

We have no desire to engage in a confrontation with the SCBA. At the same time, we wish to make it unequivocally clear that the members of our bar associations will not be intimidated, pressured, bullied or compelled to abandon a decision democratically taken by our members merely because the person affected by that decision is lobbying in your corridors.

The Meghalaya High Court Bar Association and the Shillong Bar Association recently sent a response to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), urging them to refrain from interfering in their internal affairs. This move comes after SCBA had urged the bar bodies to reconsider and withdraw their joint resolution seeking action against Advocate General Amit Kumar, who was criticized by the bar associations for allegedly failing to provide a safe environment for women lawyers and female interns in Shillong. The bar associations accused Kumar of using his clout to sell a false narrative and misguiding SCBA about the facts leading to the stripping of his bar association membership.

The joint resolution by the Meghalaya High Court Bar Association and the Shillong Bar Association was passed in response to Advocate General Amit Kumar's criticism of their handling of women lawyers and female interns. The resolution sought action against Kumar, who had his bar association membership stripped due to alleged misconduct. SCBA's intervention in this matter has raised concerns about the potential precedent set by such interference in internal affairs of bar associations.

The Meghalaya bar bodies' rejection of SCBA's support for Advocate General Amit Kumar sets a significant precedent for bar associations across the country. The move highlights the importance of autonomy and self-governance within bar associations, free from external interference or pressure. As lawyers, it is essential to be aware of the potential implications of such interventions on their relationships with state governments and regulatory bodies.

Lawyers should be aware of the potential precedent set by SCBA's intervention in Meghalaya bar bodies' internal affairs, which may impact their own relationships with state governments and regulatory bodies.

Source: Original reporting via [Source Name]