Collegium recommends transfer of four Karnataka High Court judges

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the transfer of four Karnataka High Court judges to other High Courts..The judges who have been recommended for transfer are Justices Krishna Dixit, K Natarajan, Hemant Chandangoudar and Sanjay Gowda.Justice Dixit has been recommended for transfer to Orissa High Court, Justice Natarajan to Kerala, Justice Chandangoudar to Madras and Justice Gowda to Gujarat. The decision was taken by the Collegium at its meetings held on April 15 and April 19. As per the statement published by the Collegium on the Supreme Court website, the decision was taken "to infuse inclusivity and diversity at the level of High Courts and to strengthen the quality of administration of justice". .The transfer, which was rumoured to happen, had caused considerable consternation at the Bar. The President of Advocates Association (R) of Karnataka High Court's Dharwad Bench and the Advocates Association, Bengaluru had written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna opposing the move..Interestingly, Justice Krishna Dixit addressed his rumoured transfer while hearing a case on April 17.When a lawyer appearing before him sought a date in a matter, he remarked in lighter vein that the parties may have a good bench next week, alluding to the fact that the case might get listed before some other Bench soon owing to his impending transfer from the High Court.“Next week anyway you may have a good bench also. You are weeding away all bad people now,” he said smiling. He also said that he is ready to work anywhere and it is his duty.“When a soldier is posted somewhere, it is his duty to go there. He should go there happily and work, that is all. If we go there, there will be specialities for us. Will they send us to the Himalayas? If a High Court bench is set up in the Himalayas, I will go there too. No problem.”.[Read Collegium Statement]